The End
by Evil Willow
Summary: #1 in New Lives, Destined Loves series. Spike decides to bring his sire back, soulless, to Sunnydale, to defeat the Slayer and gain control of the Hellmouth. Things may not go as planned, however, if Cordelia and Buffy get their way.
1. Chapter One

The End   
Story one in the New Lives, Destined Loves series  
Author: EvilWillow lcaspell@yahoo.com  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Story/Romance/Humor/Angst. Heck, everything you could   
imagine.  
Keywords/Warnings Ummm...no, it would just spoil the fun. Feel free to flame   
me, though, I'm leaving myself open to it.   
Disclaimer: They aren't mine, but I'm giving them the kind of   
treatment they deserve. Which is more than I can say for crack-head   
Joss and his co-writers, and all the other stupid people who own the   
characters.  
Spoilers: Everything through Buffy season 4 the Faith/Buffy body switch episode, and Season   
1 Angel: "Eternity". But Faith didn't really leave town, and Spike was never captured by the   
Initiative. He's completely dangerous, and at his evil best.   
Summary: Spike descides to bring his sire back, soulless, to Sunnydale, to defeat the   
Slayer and gain control of the Hellmouth. Things may not go as planned, however, if  
Cordelia and Buffy get their way.   
  
This is a response to Goddess Isa's challenge to my list:  
  
1) When Angel is beating the Hell out of Riley, Spike and Xander have   
to be cheering him on. Buffy comes in just as Angel's going to snap   
his neck and says "Don't stop on my account." when the deed is done,   
she asks if Angel intends on doing the same thing to Adam now.  
  
2) Don't let Oz die.  
  
3) Fix things between Buffy and Angel forever.  
  
4) Make Buffy apologize to Giles, Willow, Xander and most of all,   
Angel for being so horrible and letting herself fall under Riley's   
brainwashing.  
  
* * =thoughts.   
_ _=emphasis.   
  
************  
Chapter One:   
  
Sunnydale  
Friday afternoon  
Riley's dorm  
  
Riley watched as she got up from his bed and started to dress. "So   
see you tonight?" he asked.  
  
She turned to him, "Maybe. When are you going to dump the Buffster?"  
  
"I told you, Faith. I have plans for Buffy." Riley replied with an   
evil grin that none of the Scooby Gang had been privileged enough to   
see. Faith jumped instinctively as he vamped out. "Besides, I was told   
that Slayer blood is good for a demon's strength," he added.  
  
Faith grinned and pulled him to her for a kiss.  
  
"Start the party without me?" Spike asked as he walked into Riley's   
room.  
  
"'Course not, Spikey," Faith said with a smile.   
  
"If you value your life, don't you ever call me that again, wench,"  
Spike growled. *Bloody hell. I should never have turned Farm-boy, he's   
not any more amusing as a vampire than he was as a human. Pathetic,   
really. Oh, well. At least it will be somewhat amusing when Blondie  
finds out what I did to her precious Riley.*  
  
"Well, I gotta go. You wanted me to bring Angelus back to town and your   
wish is my command," Faith said, brushing her hand across Spike's ass   
as she left.  
  
"Why do you keep her around?" Spike asked his childe. "She can and will   
stake you whenever she gets bored with you," he added.  
  
"She won't," Riley answered. "She's living for the moment that she   
gets to tell Buffy that we never stopped having sex after she got her   
body back. After that... I'll snap her neck or something," he finished   
with a shrug. "What are you doing here, anyway?" he asked curiously.  
  
"Bored out of my mind, and I gathered, rightly, that Faith hadn't   
left for L.A. like I told her to last night. I'm just glad I didn't   
walk in on you two idiots shagging. That would've made me lose my   
lunch... Well, come on. I've got the word out and the demon  
population of Sunnydale will be flocking to the old mansion for a   
meeting led by yours truly. Time to plan for my sire's return," Spike   
said with a grin.  
  
&&&&&&&  
L.A.  
Friday afternoon  
Angel Investigations  
  
"Angel Investigations, we help the hopeless," Cordelia answered the   
office phone. "Angel's busy right now, can I take a message? ...OOOWWWW! Wesley...phone..take," Cordelia gasped as she threw the receiver toward   
the "Rogue Demon Hunter." Then she grabbed her head and doubled over in pain.  
  
Angel noticed and moved nearby with a notepad, waiting to write down the   
details of the vision.   
  
"Dammit, why do I get the migraines? Why couldn't Doyle have kissed you,   
instead?" Cordy yelled at Angel.  
  
Angel cracked a smile, and said "Well, I don't think I was his type,  
really."  
  
"Ha, ha, very funny. Geez, if this is what I get because he liked me,   
I'd hate to know what he would have done to me if he'd hated me!" she   
said as she straightened up.  
  
"What did you see?" Angel prompted.  
  
"Uh, what?"  
  
"Cordy, the vision!"  
  
"Um, it was a wrong number?"  
  
"Cordy," Angel growled menacingly.  
  
"Okay, okay. I..." Cordelia took a deep breath, and blurted out:  
"buffy'sindangerspike'sgonnakillher". She winced then, bracing herself   
for the reaction from her employer. Nothing? She looked up at Angel,   
who was leaning back against her desk, staring at her in disbelief.   
"Angel, you are so _not_ going to make me say that again, are you???"  
  
"Tell me _exactly_ what you saw," Angel replied slowly.  
  
"Buffy was fighting Spike, and she was winning, as always. And then,   
she turned, I guess expecting reinforcements. Some guy was there. He   
vamped out, grabbed her, and..." Cordelia looked away, unable to   
face the pain she knew she'd see in Angel's eyes, "held her while   
Spike drained her," she finished softly.  
  
"Um, Angel," Wesley said, hanging up the phone. "Sorry to   
interrupt, but we have a more pressing problem coming our way. That   
was Faith, I'm afraid."  
  
"She's awake???" Angel asked. "How can she be awake? The doctors said   
she was as good as dead!"  
  
Wesley sighed and shook his head. "I don't know how long she's been   
out of the coma. All she would say was she needed to talk to me. I do   
feel responsible, in some way, for her still. If I'd been a better   
watcher--"  
  
"You are _not_ responsible for that pathetic excuse for a slayer,   
Wesley," Cordelia interrupted. "She was bad news from the beginning."  
  
"Cordy's right," Angel agreed. "There's nothing you could have done to   
save Faith, Wesley . A human without a conscience, it's a rare, but   
dangerous thing."  
  
"Yes, well, I still feel I should at least see her. I owe her that   
much, don't I? I'll understand if you don't want her here, after what   
she tried to do to you..."   
  
"I don't trust her, but I'm not afraid of her. She can come," Angel   
replied. "Cordy, how long do you think we have on the Sunnydale situation?"  
  
"Knock knock," Faith said as she entered the office. "Angel, Cordelia,   
and good old Wes!" she added with a smile.  
  
"I just forgot, I had some shopping to do," Cordelia said as she jumped   
up and ran out of the door. She threw Faith a "drop dead" look as she   
left, though.  
  
"Have a seat," Angel said shortly to Faith, and pointed to a nearby   
chair. He walked over to Cordelia's desk and sat in the chair behind it,   
never taking his eyes off her. Wesley moved to lean on the corner of the   
desk.   
  
Faith grinned. "Geez, you'd think I was on America's Most Wanted, the   
way you two are eyeing me."  
  
"You indicated that you needed to speak to me," Wesley said.  
  
"Yeah, this concerns you, too," Faith nodded toward Angel, "but I   
figured you'd rather kill me than talk to me."  
  
"Gee, Faith, what would make you think that? Oh, maybe the fact that   
you tried to remove my soul? Twice? Or... the numerous attempts   
on Buffy's life? Or was it just the general 'trying to help open the   
hellmouth' thing?" Angel replied with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Okay, I deserved that," Faith answered. "But I'm here because I'm   
trying to do the right thing, for once." Angel rolled his eyes, and   
Faith sighed but continued. "I can't tell this to Buffy, Giles,   
or any of the rest of the gang. They wouldn't believe me, for reasons   
that I don't care to get into--"  
  
"I think you'd better," Angel interrupted.   
  
"Well, shit. Fine. The Mayor left me a parting gift, which I found   
when I woke up. I didn't know what it was supposed to do, and I had a   
run in with Buffy. We got in a fight, and then, somehow, the thing,   
it... it made us switch bodies. I did some really stupid stuff, to get   
back at B. When it was all over....well, everyone hates me, okay?"  
  
Angel refrained from stating his opinion that they probably hated her   
long before the body-switch situation.   
  
"I meant to leave town. But on my way out, I saw Spike, and I thought   
I'd do a little slaying for old-times sake. I followed him to your   
old place, where to my surprise, there were at least a hundred other   
demons, having a little get together. The substance of the meeting   
was how they were planning to kill Buffy. I got out of there, and here   
I am."  
  
"Buffy's smarter than to fall into any trap of Spike's easily," Angel   
replied. "So what was it about this particular plan that made you risk   
coming to me?"  
  
"ANGEL!!!!" Cordy burst in the door, and followed that up with,  
"OOOOOWWWWWW! NOT TWO IN ONE DAY!" She went to her knees holding her   
head, again. Wesley rushed over to her and helped her into a nearby   
chair.  
  
"Something tells me that Princess over there could tell you what it is  
about Spike's plan that will make Buffy a dead Slayer," Faith said   
grimly.  
  
Cordelia looked up at Angel, and said weakly, "Buffy's boyfriend's a   
vampire now."  
  
  
End Chapter One. 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two:  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
L.A.   
Angel Investigations  
Friday night  
  
"He's a _what_???" Angel yelled.  
  
Cordelia winced, still recovering from the second headache in less   
than 30 minutes, and said, "I think that Buffy's dating a vampire.   
She doesn't know it, though. That's why she can't see it coming, and   
why Spike can get the better of her."  
  
"That's impossible, though, Cordelia," Angel said stubbornly.   
"Slayers, all slayers, and Buffy more than most, they can   
sense demons. How could she date one, and not realize it???"   
  
"I don't explain 'em, Boss, I just keel over from them," Cordelia   
replied. At the pained look on his face, she put a comforting hand   
on his arm, "I'm sorry Angel, I hate having to tell you this. I don't   
know why Buffy doesn't know. I can only tell you that she doesn't."  
  
"Faith?" Angel turned to the ex-slayer questioningly.   
  
"Why's everyone looking at me???" Faith said defensively. "Sorry, A,   
I haven't got a clue who the Buffster's doing," she shrugged.   
  
Angel just continued to look at Faith, his expression suspicious.  
  
"Would you stop that? I'm telling you, I don't know anything about   
Buffy's social life," Faith insisted. "Look, I'm doing you a favor by   
coming here. I've told you what I know. Don't I get any brownie   
points for my good deed?"   
  
"I would've thrown you out ten minutes ago, if Cordelia's visions   
hadn't backed up your story. Did you happen to hear when Spike was   
planning to go after Buffy?"   
  
"Not until Saturday night," Faith answered.   
  
Angel sighed in relief, "Okay. So we have until tomorrow. Cordy and   
Wes, I'm going to Sunnydale. You two can take care of things here--"   
  
"Oh, no you don't, Mister!" Cordelia said. "If you think you're   
going back there alone, you can just forget it! I'm going too..." she   
nudged Wesley with her elbow, "...and so is Wesley. Right Wesley?"   
she looked/glared at Wesley, and he knew better than to contradict.   
  
"Cordelia's right. We should all go. If Spike is gathering the demon   
forces of Sunnydale, every able body should be there," Wesley said.   
  
"I don't know, I would feel better if you two stayed here. It's not   
safe--"   
  
"Safe??? Oh, excuse _me_, but _WHO_ has been down in those icky   
sewers more than once in the past month? YOU kill the monster-things,   
but then I guess it's _safe_ for Doy--I mean Wesley and me to clean   
up the mess?" Cordelia said. "Try again," She crossed her arms in   
front of her, and gave him her best "don't mess with me" look.  
  
"Okay, okay," Angel chuckled. He held up his hand, signifying   
surrender. "We'll all go." He looked at Faith, and she shrugged.   
  
"Sure, sounds like fun," she said with a grin.  
  
"Alright. We'll leave first thing in the morning. Faith can say   
with..." Angel looked at Cordelia pleadingly.   
  
"No way!" Cordelia answered.   
  
"Cordy--"  
  
"NO! I don't like her," she turned to Faith and repeated "I don't like   
you." She turned back to Angel, "..and I don't trust her, and no way   
would I get any sleep, because I'd wonder if I wouldn't wake up   
dead...well, I guess you don't _wake up_ dead, unless you're you,   
and...just no, and that's that!" she finished as she stood, stamping   
her high-heeled foot for good measure.  
  
Angel sighed in irritation, and turned to Faith, who was grinning at the   
war of wills going on in front of her. "Stay here, on the couch," he   
pointed to the couch. "I'll be downstairs." Throwing   
Cordelia a look, he stalked to the elevator silently and   
descends to his apartment.  
  
"Sulk much?" Cordelia threw at the descending elevator car.   
  
"Well, I guess that's that," Wesley said unnecessarily.   
  
"What is it with moody men and me? Always with the moody, brooding,   
stubborn, have-to-have-their-own-way..." the sound of Cordelia's   
voice trailed off as she stomped out of the apartment.  
  
"Um, well...Faith, if you need anything, I--I guess--" Wesley   
stuttered, obviously at a loss for words after Angel and Cordelia's   
disappearing acts.  
  
"Chill, Wes. It's all good. The couch and I will get acquainted, and   
I'll see you in the morning," Faith said with an innocent smile.   
  
"Okay, well, good night," Wesley said and headed out.  
  
"Yeah, it will be," Faith said after Wesley left. She giggled  
and walked over to the elevator. She listened for a moment, and when   
she didn't hear anything, pulled her cellphone out of her jacket   
pocket.  
  
"....Hey, Riley Babe!...Yeah, everything's good, man. All according   
to plan....He's downstairs, just lemme talk to BleachBoy for a   
minute..."  
  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
Angel's Mansion  
Sunnydale  
Friday Night  
  
Spike watched as the demons begin to arrive, basking in the   
knowledge that he still had some power in Sunnydale. He looked over to   
his left, where Riley had been hovering near him all evening. Spike sighed  
in exasperation.   
  
*Bloody hell. I just might have to stake him soon, for the sake of my   
own sanity. How Slutty ever tolerated him this long, I'll never   
understand. Always underfoot, always demanding your attention.*   
  
As if on cue, Riley approached. "Uh, Faith's on the phone," he said.  
  
"Why the hell would I want to talk to that Bitch?" Spike muttered   
in response.   
  
Riley ducked his head apologetically. "I know you don't agree with me   
turning her. I was just trying to have some fun," he pouted.  
  
Spike sighed for the second time in five minutes, and tried to be   
reassuring, patting him on the arm awkwardly. "Never mind, just go   
watch the door. We don't need this party crashed by any Initiative   
goons or Scoobies." Riley nodded, brightening at the idea of   
being needed, and went over to the door to take up post there.   
  
"Yeah," Spike said, on the phone now.   
  
"It worked! It worked, man this is just so cool, Spikey!"   
  
"I swear, I'm gonna--"   
  
"Oh, chill, man. I know, I know. You're all that and a bag of chips,   
okay? I'm just kidding with ya, Spike. Anyway, Tara's spell is so   
cool! I wondered at first, ya know? Because I know that Angel can   
sense other demons. I thought for sure that he'd know I was a   
vamp, but he's so clueless!"  
  
"I'm hurt that you doubted me," Spike said in a bored tone. "Tara's got the   
blinding spell covered. Nobody thinks that you or Riley are anything   
more than just a couple of annoying mortals. So tell me that you're   
doing what I sent you to L.A. for."   
  
"Yeah, of course I am. I'll slip the tranquilizer to him and then  
Tara's waiting nearby. I'll grab her, we'll do the spell thing, and   
then--OW!"   
  
"Faith?...FAITH!" He heard sounds of a fight on the other end, and   
pulled the phone away from his ear and looked at it in frustration.   
The call went dead. Spike stared at it for another minute. Then he threw  
it across the room, roaring, "BLOODY HELL!"   
  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
L.A  
Angel Investigations  
  
Faith was on the phone, with her back to the elevator, "...we'll do   
the spell thing, and then--" she was knocked across the room, and   
lands against the wall with a thud, "OW!" she said and looked up at   
Angel.   
  
He slipped into game face. "Faith, Faith. We've been there and done that,   
already. Why would you try such a tired game again? Really, I was   
expecting _some_ sort of double-cross, but I wish you had been more   
inventive than to try to remove my soul again." He shook his  
head, and clucked his tongue at her.  
  
Faith grinned and threw her phone at him, giggling.  
  
"Okay, now I'm convinced," Angel said. "You've gone completely   
batty."  
  
"No..I just..I just know something you don't!" she replied.  
  
"What's that," he asked.  
  
She took the opportunity to slip into gameface.   
  
Angel stepped back in surprise. "Wha--why didn't I--?"   
  
"You didn't know, Angel Dear, because I've got some very powerful   
magic on my side. You can probably kill me," she shrugged. "I'm not   
that powerful yet, but it doesn't matter. Your precious Buffy is as   
good as dead, and there's nothing you can do to save her," she taunted.  
She slid up along the wall to stand facing him, and added "The   
only thing that isn't for sure, is whether Spike will turn her, or   
just enjoy watching her die slowly."   
  
"Well, either way you don't get to find out," Cordy said from behind   
Angel. Faith looked over to see Cordelia holding a crossbow, and she   
snarled at Cordy. "Oh, yeah. _That_ was scary," Cordelia muttered   
sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Dramatic much?"   
  
Cordelia threw a stake to Angel, who said, "Thanks, Cordelia. Three   
visions in one day, that had to hurt."   
  
"Yeah, you are _so_ owing me for this one. I think this falls into   
the category of 'above and beyond the call of duty'. Who would've   
figured. Faith a vampire. Well, guess the plus side is we don't have   
to feel bad about killing her," she said.  
  
Faith jumped at Angel, but he swatted her down like a fly. She screamed   
in anger, and lunged at him again. She didn't get close, though. With   
one swift move, he staked her through the heart.   
  
"Well, I'm beat," Cordelia said as Faith vanished in a cloud of   
dust. "See you in the morning?"   
  
"First thing," Angel answered, brushing himself off, and returning to   
the non-vamp look. "Cordelia, thanks again for the call, really."   
  
"No prob," she shrugged. "I'm just glad you actually had the cell phone   
with you this time. I really didn't want to have to deal with Angelus   
twice in a week, he's just no fun at all."  
  
End Chapter Two 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter 3  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
Sunnydale  
Spike's Mansion  
  
"Bloody fucking hell!" Spike yelled at nobody in particular as he   
threw the phone across the room. All his guests looked at him in surprise,   
and suddenly the room fell completely silent. "Riley!" he bellowed.   
  
As the recently-turned vampire hurried over, Spike said, "Your twit   
of a childe got herself killed. And if she gave up any part of the   
plan, I swear, I'll kill you for it!" He back-handed Riley, who   
resisted the urge to react violently. "She wouldn't do that, Spike,   
she hated Buffy as much as you do," he said in an attempt to calm the   
furious vampire.   
  
"I gotta get outta here, I need to kill something," Spike growled as   
he charged out the door.   
  
&&&&&&&&&&&  
One of Sunnydale's many Cemeterys  
  
"So where's Riley?" Willow asked Buffy. She was assisting her friend   
with patrol duties. There had been two murders the previous night, and   
Giles believed they were both due to a werewolf. Willow had insisted   
on joining Buffy, and even though nobody said it, they all knew why   
she wanted to be there. She was worried that Oz was back, and not   
controlling his werewolf behavior. She and Buffy had been wandering   
around for an hour, but so far it had been a quiet night.  
  
"Riley had studying fun," Buffy answered, "but my question is where   
are all the demons tonight?????"   
  
"Don't complain, it's a relief not to have the major slayage thing   
tonight, isn't it?"   
  
"No, because I know from experience that when everything's quiet,   
it's because there's something up, and it's not good for the living,"   
Buffy said grimly.   
  
"Um..Buff? Speaking of Riley?"  
  
"Were we?"   
  
"Well, kind of" Willow stammered, "well...no, but can we?"   
  
"Sure," Buffy answered with a smile. "What's up?"  
  
"Just....he seems different, lately, don't you think?" Willow asked.  
  
"Different how?" Buffy said, and stopped to face her friend, a   
puzzled look on her face. "Riley's perfect, Will. He's a nice, hunky,   
normal guy--" at Willow's skeptical look, she said, "--Oh, fine, not   
completely normal, but about as normal as you get around here. Besides,   
he loves me, and having someone of the alive persuasion to be with is   
definitely of the good."   
  
"So, you two are okay now?"   
  
"Huh? Oh, the Faith thing," Buffy wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I   
was freaked, but I'm unfreaked now. I know Riley didn't know it wasn't me."   
  
"Oh, good," Willow said. The two walked on in silence, each thinking   
the same thing, but not saying it,  
  
*He should have known.*  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
Spike's Mansion  
  
Riley had cleared the "guests" out of the house, and was getting   
changed into his fatigues. He and Spike had agreed that Riley, for   
now, would remain with the Initiative.  
  
Spike liked the idea of having someone inside the Initiative,   
because, after Buffy, they were next on his list of creatures in Sunnydale   
to kill. Riley didn't mind, because even though he was a vampire now, he   
had retained his disgust for demons.   
  
The phone rang, and Riley answered it, "Yeah?"   
  
"Hey," Tara said on the other end. "It's me."   
  
"Hey, sis. What went wrong?"   
  
Tara sighed. "I don't know, Riley. She didn't contact me when she   
said she would. So I went to this Angel's office, and...I saw her get staked.   
  
"Well, maybe the spell didn't work as well as you thought it would,"   
Riley said. "And maybe that means my girlfriend is going to greet me with a   
stake through the heart next time she sees me."  
  
"That will _not_ happen, there's nothing wrong with the blinding   
spell. What happened to Faith, it wasn't my spell that went wrong. You have   
to believe me."  
  
"I want to, Sis," Riley replied. "If for no other reason than I don't   
know how long I can protect you if your magick isn't strong enough. Maybe   
you should just stay in L.A., and away from Spike."  
  
"And leave you to deal with his anger alone? I don't think so, Riley.   
We protect each other, remember? I'm going to fix this. I'm going to try   
to get close enough to Angel to do the curse reversal spell--"  
  
"No you won't!" Riley yelled. "I was okay with it when Faith was   
still around, because I thought she knew how to handle this Angel guy.   
But obviously she didn't, and I don't want you putting yourself in that   
kind of danger. Even if the spell works, Angelus is not someone you   
want to be within a mile of, believe me. I've heard the stories, and he's so nasty he's even dangerous to other demons."  
  
"I'll be okay, Riley. I've got help, you know. The guys that Spike   
sent with me to help Faith and I get Angelus back to Sunnydale,   
without him killing us. I'll call you soon. Don't worry," Tara hung   
up before Riley could protest further. He looked at the phone for a   
minute in disbelief, then at the sound of the clock chime, remembered   
he was late to meet Forrest and the others. *She'll be okay,* he   
thought to himself. *She's a smart kid, and besides, I couldn't do anything   
to help her even if I wanted to*  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
Sunnydale Cemetery  
  
Buffy and Willow were patrolling the last cemetery before heading   
back to Giles' to report on the night's events. There had been no   
events, though, no demons or were-wolves anywhere in sight.   
  
Buffy stopped Willow suddenly with a hand on her arm, and motioned to   
her to be quiet. Willow listened, waiting for what had alarmed her   
friend. Then she heard it, a woman's scream, in the distance. Buffy   
sprinted off toward the sound, and Willow ran after her,   
fighting to keep up.   
  
Buffy ran though some hedges and came upon Spike, feeding. Bufffy was   
too late, and Spike dropped the dead woman. Buffy grinned, "Oh,   
goody! I was starting to think this night was a bust. But hey, now I   
get to stake you, so it's all good."  
  
"You think you can take me, Blondie? Then why wasn't I dust years   
ago?" Spike taunted her with a cocky grin.   
  
"Sheer luck, Spike, but it's run out, now." She aimed her crossbow at   
him. Willow, unfortunately, took that opportunity to catch up with   
her friend, and ran through the tall hedges right into Spike. He   
grabbed her and she screamed, but he held her easily with one arm   
around her waist, pinning her arms down and holding her against him.  
  
"Don't move, or I'll make Red my after-dinner snack", Spike said   
menacingly.  
  
"Let her go!" Buffy yelled, her mind working frantically to find a   
way to save her friend. Willow was struggling and her heel made   
contact with Spike's shin. "OW!" he roared. "Do that again and it   
will be your last living act, Witch!" Willow stilled at that, but   
screamed, "Let me go!"   
  
Just then, they heard a growl from behind Spike and Willow, and a   
were-wolf leaped at them. Spike jumped to the side, pulling Willow   
with him. In a split second reaction, Buffy fired the crossbow at the   
creature. It fell to the ground with a howl of pain, and lay on the   
ground on its side at Willow's feet, the arrow in its chest.  
  
"Noooooooooo!" Willow screamed.  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
ENd of Chapter 3. 


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter 4  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
L.A.  
  
Tara looked at her watch, it was just before midnight. She made   
another quick phone call, and then left the hotel lobby and walked   
down the street toward the Angel Investigations office. She didn't   
really have a plan, but she thought better under pressure, anyway.   
  
As she approached the building, she noted the Harley parked in front.   
*Oh, great. I've got the demon, and the model-wanna-be, and now   
someone _else_???* She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. A   
tall, dark-haired, broad-shouldered man opened the door, and Tara   
knew he was the demon. "Can I help you?" Angel asked, his confusion  
apparent at having someone knock on his door so late at night.   
  
"Um, yeah. You're Angel, right?"   
  
"Yeah. Come in," Angel offered politely, and held the door open wider   
for her to enter. Tara walked past him into the office, and noted the   
girl from earlier standing nearby, and a slender man in a suit and   
glasses sitting on a chair.   
  
"So what can I do for you?" Angel asked kindly.   
  
"Well, I have a problem, and I ran it by a friend. Kate Lockley? She   
said she knew you..." Angel nodded, and Tara continued to spin her   
tale. "She said this sounded like the kind of problem you could help   
me with. I'm sorry for coming so late."  
  
"It's okay," Angel said. "Why don't we start with your name? And then   
you can tell me what your problem is?"   
  
"Unless you need me, Angel, I'm going home. I need at least a few   
hours of sleep," Cordelia said.   
  
"No, that's fine, Cordelia. I'll see you first thing in the morning,"   
Angel said. Tara smiled inwardly, *I can't believe my luck. The fewer   
the people to deal with the better, and I didn't even need to come up   
with a way to get rid of the girl. Now if only the librarian-type--*   
  
"Perhaps I'll be off as well," Wesley said. "If this turns out to be   
something you need my help with, please don't hesitate to call me."   
  
"I won't, Wesley. Thanks," Angel replied.   
  
Tara fought to keep the grin off her face. This was going to be way   
too easy. When the two had left, Angel turned back to her. "Sorry for   
the interruption. So you were about to tell me your problem?"   
  
"It's a long story, but for now, it's late, so I'll give you the   
short version," Tara said. "My name's Julie by the way...... My ex   
is a vampire and he's going to kill me."  
  
She waited a few moments, trying to read Angel's face to see if he   
was buying it. She wasn't able to tell, so she said, "What? No eye   
rolling? No laughing? No suggesting I should consider a nice vacation   
to a place with padded walls?"  
  
Angel almost cracked a smile, and answered, "No, I believe you. Which   
is probably why Kate sent you here."   
  
"Yeah, and I'm kinda shocked that _she_ believed me. Kate's always   
been very down-to-earth, and I was sure she'd laugh. She didn't   
though. She just said that she's discovered some things about this   
world lately that led her to believe me. Whatever that means. Anyway,   
I'm here to hire you to protect me. I've got money, when my parents   
died, they left everything to me. I want you to kill him, too. Well,   
kill isn't quite an appropriate word, is it? He's already dead after   
all....So will you take the job?"   
  
Angel sat staring off into space for a few moments, thinking. He   
turned to her, and said, "I'll take it, but I've got some important   
business that will take me out of town for a couple of days. I'll   
make sure you're safe in the meantime though. When I get  
back, I'll take care of your ex."   
  
"Thanks, Mr...."   
  
"Just call me Angel," he answered with a smile.   
  
"I'd rather call you Angelus," Tara returned with a smile of her own.  
At that moment, twenty men dressed all in black rushed into the door   
at Angel. Angel was able to take down 4 of them, but another one   
fired a tranquilizer dart at him, and within five minutes he was   
sitting on the floor in a daze. The remaining uninjured quickly   
had him tied to a chair. Angel fought to keep his eyes open, and   
said, "Who--why?"  
  
Tara smiled, and said, "My name's really Tara," at Angel's startled   
look, her grin went wider, and said, "Good, that means something to   
you. That will make this so much more fun. Sleep now, when it wears   
off, we're going to play a little game. It's called, let's loose the   
demon."  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
Sunnydale Cemetery  
  
"Oh, Goddess, please don't let that be Oz," Willow begged, her face   
pale with fear. She stayed back, but asked "Is he alive?" looking at   
Buffy.  
  
"Oh, God, Will, I didn't think, I--," Buffy said, and approached the   
wolf uncertainly. The creature was unconscious, still   
breathing. "It's alive," she said. She then looked toward where Spike   
had been, and said, "Hey, where the hell's Spike?"   
  
"Spike?" Willow said hysterically. "Who cares about Spike, my   
boyfriend's injured, maybe dying, and you want to know where Spike   
is????"  
  
"I didn't mean---" Buffy stopped as they both heard the sound of   
men's voices. "It's Riley and the Initiative guys, Willow, we gotta   
get the wolf out of here, I just don't know how...we may   
not be able to," she said hopelessly.  
  
"We can't leave him here for them to torture him," Willow insisted.   
  
"Will, we don't even know it's Oz--"  
  
"It is, Buffy!" Willow answered. "I knew it the moment you shot him!   
I felt like the arrow hit me! If you've killed him, I don't know if I   
can ever forgive you!"   
  
Buffy looked at Willow in shock, not knowing how to respond. They   
were interrupted by a welcome voice, "Well, looks like we're just in   
time, Xander said as he and Giles approached from around the   
hedges. "Yes, it looks like you found the were-wolf, Buffy," Giles   
said.   
  
Giles approached the wolf slowly, examined the location of the arrow,   
and looked up at Willow. "He's alive, I don't think the arrow hit any   
major organs."   
  
Willow let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding, and   
said, "Okay, so how do we move him? Is it safe for us?"   
  
"I know I saw that HST around here somewhere," Riley's voice said   
from on the other side of the bushes.   
  
Buffy ran to the other side of the hedges to head off her boyfriend   
and his friends, "Riley! What are you guys doing?" she asked   
casually. On the other side of the hedges, her friends waited, barely   
daring to breathe.   
  
"Hey," Riley said with a smile, and kissed her quickly.   
  
"Hey, yourself," she returned with a grin. "Demon hunting?"   
  
"Wolf-hunting. We saw it run this way--"   
  
  
"It did, but then it ran into me, and ran that way," Buffy pointed   
off in the distance.   
  
"Well, then, we'd better go, bye!" Forrest said impatiently.   
  
Riley threw him an irritated look, and asked Buffy, "Do you want to   
join us? We could use your help."   
  
"Sure," Buffy said with a grin, and led the commandos across the   
street and away from her friends.   
  
"So how do we move him?" Willow asked when the voices had died away.   
  
"Xander will bring the car up to the street, and the bag out of the   
trunk. I brought some syringes with tranquilizers, just in case,"   
Giles said, and handed Xander the keys.  
  
Xander nodded and ran off.   
  
"Don't let him die, Giles," Willow pleaded.   
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&  
L.A.  
Angel Investigations  
  
Angel recovered quickly, probably due to his age. Within ten minutes,   
he was coming around.   
  
"Oh, good. I hate to wait to have my fun," Tara said calmly. She was   
sitting in a nearby chair, and the minions were stationed at   
different points around the office.  
  
"Who are you??" Angel demanded.   
  
"I already told you, I'm Tara. And these are my friends," she added,   
waving toward the men, who Angel saw were not much more than boys,   
about Tara's age. "Spike recruited some humans for his latest cause,   
and I like them so much more, because I don't have to worry   
about getting my blood drained."  
  
"Why are you doing this?" Angel asked.   
  
"Why? Because I can," Tara said casually. "Just two weeks ago, nobody   
would even look in my direction. But I'm important now, people look   
up to me. "  
  
"Spike doesn't look up to you, Tara. He's using you, and when you   
don't have anything more to offer him, he'll kill you," Angel tried   
to reason with her.   
  
"No, he won't. Because I'm never going to wear out my usefulness. My   
magick will always have somthing to offer him," Tara said. "Enough   
small talk. Jerry," she turned to one of the men nearby, "my spell   
book?"   
  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
Sunnydale  
Giles' Apartment  
  
Giles, Willow and Xander had managed to get Oz-wolf into the back of   
the car, fully sedated. Once they were back at Giles' house, he   
called a friend of his friends who was a vet. Luckily, the man didn't   
have any problems with treating a were-wolf. He removed the arrow   
from the creature, and treated the wound.   
  
Oz-wolf was now sleeping in one of Giles' spare bedrooms, which was   
of course wolf-proofed and locked from the outside. Giles had assured   
Willow that Oz would be okay, but she still showed no signs of   
wanting to leave the house. "I just--I want to make sure,  
Giles," she said for the twentieth time.   
  
"Wills, if Giles says he's okay, he is," Xander said reassuringly.   
  
"Yeah, and I'm tired. I want sleep, Xander. No, I want sex, then   
sleep," Anya said bluntly.   
  
"Anya!" Xander yelled in utter embarrassment.   
  
"What?" Anya said bewilderedly, "all I said was--"   
  
"I think we all heard you, Anya," Xander said patiently. "But that   
was one of those things that I was talking to you about earlier,   
remember? There's 'Anya and Xander talk', and then there's 'Anya and   
Xander with the rest of the gang talk'. And what you just said, that   
should be reserved for Anya and Xander talk.   
  
Willow giggled, she couldn't remember the last time she'd seen Xander   
that particular shade of red. She looked around and realized that   
Giles had vacated the room after Anya's comment. *Poor Giles*   
she thought. *What he has to put up with from us* Deciding to help   
her best friend retain a little bit of dignity, she quietly snuck out   
the room. As she left, Xander was still trying to explain appropriate   
vs. inappropriate public discussions to his girlfriend.   
  
Willow found Giles hiding in the kitchen. "Mind if I join you?"   
  
"Of course not, Willow. How are you feeling?"   
  
"I'm okay, Giles. I'm better now that I know Oz is going to be okay.   
I know he probably killed those people, but I can't blame him for it.   
It wasn't really him, anyway. I know, he should have been locked up,   
but maybe he was all alone. We don't know where he's been or   
what he's been through the last couple of months. And besides--"  
  
"You don't have to plead his case to me, Willow," Giles interrupted   
gently. "I know that Oz is a good man. He's had to deal with a lot   
for someone his age. We all know, though, that if he has been   
neglecting to control that side of him, that he is responsible for  
those deaths."   
  
Willow nodded miserably. "I know. I used to think he wouldn't do   
something like that... But now I don't know that for sure."  
  
"Well, one thing at a time," Giles replied. "First thing is to keep   
him locked up until morning. Tonight's the last night of the full   
moon, so we'll have some time to decide what arrangements to make for   
future full moons."   
  
"You're assuming he's staying," Willow pointed out.   
  
"Well, yes, he did come back, Willow. Oz is not a flighty person.   
I've never known him to make a hasty decision. If he decided to come   
back, I would imagine it meant for good."  
  
"I hope so, Giles. I've missed him so much."   
  
"Hey, you two! You can come out of hiding now!" Xander yelled from   
the living room.   
  
"Oh, dear," Giles said, shaking his head. "Do you think it's safe?"   
  
Willow giggled and said, "There's only one way to find out," and the   
two walked back into the living room. Xander gave Willow and Giles a   
sheepish look as the two walked back out, and Willow gave Xander a   
reassuring smile.   
  
"So, I think it's late, and we're not being fair to Giles," Willow   
said. "We should go."   
  
"Oh, wow!" Xander said, looking at the clock. "It's after midnight,   
sorry, Giles."   
  
"Quite all right," Giles said wearily. "You three be careful on your   
way home and to the dorm."  
  
"Maybe we should drive you," Xander offered to Willow.   
  
"No need," Buffy said as she walked up. I'll walk with her, if that's   
okay with you?" she asked Willow.   
  
"Of course it is, Buffy," Willow said with a smile. She hugged her   
friend quickly. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier--"  
  
"It's okay, Will, I understand. I'm sorry I didn't use the   
tranquilizer gun, is Oz okay?"   
  
"Oz will be fine," Giles answered. "I've got him locked in one of the   
spare rooms, and we'll decide what to do in the morning.   
  
The Scooby Gang said their good-byes, and departed, Anya and Xander   
to Xander's house, and Willow and Buffy to their dorm room.   
  
*************  
Ten minutes later  
  
Buffy and Willow were entered their dorm room. Buffy stopped   
abruptly, and yelled, "NO!," doubling over as if in pain.  
  
"Buffy! What's wrong?" Willow went over to Buffy, who was unable to   
move, moaning, "No, no, no, no....."   
  
"Buffy! Talk to me! Please!!" Willow pleaded and helped Buffy over to   
her bed, where she sat down. As suddenly as it had started, it   
passed, though. Buffy sat up, and looked at Willow in confusion.   
  
"Buffy? What was that?" Willow asked.   
  
"I have no idea, Will," Buffy answered, frightened. "But I have the   
horrible feeling that whatever it was, it was really not good."  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
L.A.  
Angel Investigations Office  
  
Angel was trying to resist the spell, screaming and cursing at Tara.   
When Tara finished the incantation, there was a flash of light. When   
the room returned to normal, Tara eyed the now silent Angel   
curiously. His head had slumped down, chin on his chest, as if he'd   
passed out.  
  
*Hm, something I never thought of. How do I know if it worked?* she   
wondered. When Angel looked up at her, though, she felt a shiver run   
through her. His eyes were completely cold, there was nothing   
of the kind person who had been talking to her just 15 minutes   
earlier. *Either he's faking really well, or it worked.*  
  
"I don't know why you did it, but I'm so glad you did," Angelus said   
with a grin. "I was ready to stake myself with all the moping around,   
drinking the pig's blood, and the 'helping the hopeless'. It's enough   
to make a grown vampire cry!"   
  
"Spike wanted you back in Sunnydale," Tara answered slowly. "He has a   
plan to get rid of Buffy, and he needs your help."  
  
"Oh, yes. I think I could enjoy that," Angelus answered. "The bitch   
sent me to hell, she definitely deserves to pay. So untie me, and   
let's go."   
  
"If you try anything, and I mean anything, David will shoot you so   
full of tranquilizers you'll never wake up," Tara threatened.   
  
"Point taken. I'm not going to hurt you. You're a wicca, right?"   
  
"Third generation," Tara answered proudly.  
  
"Well, then, you're more useful to me alive than dead. You don't need   
to be afraid of me," Angelus said smoothly.   
  
"That remains to be seen," Tara answered, but approached him slowly.   
She stopped and looked at him for a few more moments, considering.   
Finally, she went behind him and cut the ropes holding him to the   
chair.   
  
"Good girl," Angelus said. "So... when do we leave for Hell Sweet   
Hell?" he asked with a grin.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&  
End Part 4 


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
Sunnydale  
Saturday Morning  
1:30 am  
  
Spike arrived back at the house, in a worse mood than before, if that   
was possible. Riley was there waiting for him, which didn't improve   
his mood any, either. "Fun hunting?" Riley asked timidly. Spike   
returned a growl and stalked to the other room.   
  
"Oookay," Riley said to himself. "I'll take that as a no."   
  
"And what the HELL are you doing here??? I thought we agreed that you   
wouldn't take any unnecessary chances of the Slayer finding out about   
you!" Spike roared as he came back into the living room.   
  
"She went back to the dorm,, don't worry, she doesn't suspect a   
thing," Riley said reassuringly. "I'm still good old Riley, Tara's   
spell is working perfectly. She hasn't questioned the fact that I   
haven't been seen in the daylight for the past week. I'm perfectly   
safe from Buffy's suspicions."  
  
"If your idiot of a sister's spells were _working_, Faith would still   
be alive, and she would have brought Angelus back to Sunnydale! So   
don't talk to me about her spells!" Spike yelled angrily.   
  
"Just because Faith got herself killed, doesn't mean it had anything   
to do with the spell," Riley retorted just as angrily. "Tara has been   
practicing witchcraft since she was a child, and she's one of the   
most powerful witches in the country." At Spike's snort of derision,   
Riley continued, "While Faith, on the other hand, was never a good   
Slayer, she could never control her impulses."   
  
"YOU--" Spike approached Riley menacingly, "You are the one who   
turned her. And then _you_ are the one who assured me that she would   
be an asset to our plan. Instead, she may have ruined it.   
  
"If that poof of a Sire of mine comes back to Sunnydale with his soul   
intact, I will hold you responsible. I promise you I will make you   
suffer in ways you never imagined were possible, and then tie you up   
and leave you outside to watch your final sunrise!"   
  
By this point, Spike had Riley pinned to the wall by this point, hand   
closed on his throat. Riley didn't even try to fight him, and Spike   
dropped him, irritatedly. "You could at least try to fight, you   
pansy!" He yelled, and stomped to his room. He turned in the doorway   
to look back at his childe, who was sitting pouting on the   
floor. "Get out of my house!" he yelled.   
  
"But Spike--" Riley whined.  
  
"Get out! Or I'll stake you myself!" Spike yelled, and slammed the   
door as he sought solitude in his bedroom. "Just remember Spike,   
there _was_ a reason you turned him," he said to himself. "The look   
on Slutty's face when she realizes what has happened to her precious   
Riley will be worth any irritation you have to suffer until then."   
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&  
L.A.  
1:30 am  
  
Tara said to Angelus and Spike's group of minions, "We need to leave   
now. We can get back to Sunnydale before dawn, and I'm sure Spike   
will be thrilled that I managed to salvage this plan."  
  
"Spike's not going to be happy to see me, don't have any   
misconceptions about that," Angelus replied with a grin. "I'm a   
necessary evil, if you'll excuse the expression, so he can get what   
he wants. He's got it out for Buffy, and he knows the best way to   
bring her down is yours truly. She's going to be so caught off guard,   
it won't be hard at all to rid the town of Sunnydale of one more   
Slayer."   
  
"Angel, I forgot my..." Cordelia and Wesley walked in at that moment,   
and Cordelia's mouth dropped open in shock at the exact same time   
that her legs forgot how to work. Wesley, behind her, didn't notice   
and bumped into her. "Oh!" he said in surprise, and looked over her   
shoulder at what had grabbed her attention.   
  
Angelus had reverted to his normal face, and tried to smile kindly at   
Cordy and Wesley. "Hi, guys," he said. "You remember Tara?"   
  
"Uh, I don't think she mentioned her name when we were here,"   
Cordelia said slowly, still refusing to enter the room. Her instincts   
were telling her that something was wrong, even though she couldn't   
get a grasp on it yet. Then she did, and yelled, "But she didn't   
mention the commandos!" She moved backward, quickly, but was hindered   
by Wesley who was still behind her. "Wesley! Bad people! Move!" she   
yelled.   
  
"Oh, dear," Angelus said, and waved at the minions. "Can't let them   
leave the party now, can we?" One of the men grabbed Cordelia,   
getting a stiletto heel slammed into his foot for the   
trouble. "AAAH!" he yelled, and shoved her down roughly. Wesley tried   
to come to her aid, and another of the men hit him over the head with   
the butt of a gun.   
  
"Leave him alone!" Cordelia yelled, trying to get up.   
  
Angelus closed the distance and pulled her up, saying, "Hi, remember   
me?" now in full game-face again.   
  
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!" Cordelia screamed. "Not you again! This is just   
so WRONG! I don't know who you are, missy," turning to look at   
Tara, "but you are in big trouble!"   
  
Tara laughed, and replied, "No, I think it's you who's in trouble. I   
imagine Angelus is rather hungry. Aren't you, Angelus?" she looked to   
him with a chilling smile that Willow had never been graced with.   
  
"I think eek is old now and this is a better response: AAAAAAAHHHH!"   
Cordy shrieked. Angelus clamped a hand over her mouth to silence her.   
Cordelia, not one to go down without a fight, bit down hard, making   
it Angelus' turn to yell.   
  
"Dammit! Bitch!" He threw her against the wall, where she hit her   
head hard and fell to the floor unconscious.   
  
"What do you want to do with them?" Tara asked.   
  
"Me? I thought you and Spike were running the show," Angelus answered   
sarcastically.   
  
"Uh-uh," Tara said. "I'm very aware of who you are. I've done plenty   
of reading on the infamous Angelus. Two hundred fifty-some years old.   
Terror of any town that you visited. Your victim of choice has always   
been the Slayer. The fact that you've killed so many of them without   
getting yourself dusted means that you're much more intelligent and   
resourceful than most vampires.   
  
"Spike was insistent to both Faith and I that coming back to   
Sunnydale without you would be a death-wish. And you inspire a..can I   
say awed reaction in demons and vampires alike. All Spike had to do   
was talk of bringing you back to Sunnydale, and the entire demon and   
vampire population of Sunnydale was falling over themselves in their   
hurry to be part of this. So, I'm not under any misconceptions   
whatsoever as to who is _really_ running this show."   
  
"You're smarter than you look, witch," Angelus said   
appreciatively. "Maybe I'll have to keep you around for a while after   
all." He looked over at Angel's two friends, who were both   
unconscious, and decided, "Tie them up and we'll bring them along.   
Let's make this a reunion the Slayer and her friends will never   
forget."  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&  
Sunnydale  
2 a.m.  
Willow/Buffy's dorm room  
  
"Buffy?" Willow said, her face full of concern.   
  
"I'm okay," Buffy replied, taking a deep breath. "Really," she   
insisted, as Willow just looked at her suspiciously. "Whatever it   
was, it's gone now. We're both exhausted, let's just try to get some   
sleep."   
  
"Okay," Willow said slowly. "Are you sure you're okay? I've never   
seen anything like that before. Can you remember anything?" she   
pressed.   
  
Buffy shook her head, tiredly. "I... there was a flash of something,   
images....but I can't remember. It all came so fast, and there was   
this overwhelming pain--" She looked at Willow blankly, "I don't   
know."  
  
"Are you sure we shouldn't check with Giles on this? I mean, it might   
be something demony, or spell-related, or...I don't know, something,"   
Willow suggested.   
  
"No, I'm sure it's nothing," Buffy tried to reassure her   
friend. "Wills, if it happens again, I'll tell Giles, I promise. I'm   
just not convinced it can't be explained by the fact that tonight was   
pretty tense, and...I feel really awful for what I did to Oz."  
  
"Buffy, I really don't want to talk about this right now--"  
  
"Willow, I need to tell you that I know I was wrong," Buffy said. "I   
should've used the gun with the tranquilizer darts. I mean, _duh_,   
Buffy, we're out there because of possible wolf activity. I just   
panicked when it jumped at you and--"  
  
"Buffy, you were already really freaked when Spike came out of   
nowhere, and then I did the brilliant Willow thing by running right   
into his trap," Willow said. "And then everything happened so fast...   
I'm not thrilled that you shot Oz with that arrow, don't get me   
wrong, but it's over now. Oz will be okay, and that's all that   
matters."  
  
Buffy sighed, and said, "Okay, it's not an 'I forgive you Buffy,' but   
at least it's not an 'I hate you, Buffy.' I'll take it. I promise, I   
will find some way to make it up to you. To both of you."   
  
Willow smiled, and replied, "I don't hate you. You're a good person,   
Buffy, and a good Slayer. Things just happen. I'm glad that you   
happened to have bad aim tonight, though. I just need some time   
before I can be 'happy Willow' again, okay?"   
  
"Fair enough," Buffy said, and stifled a yawn. She flopped on her   
bed, tiredly. "G'night, Wills."  
  
"Good night, Buffy," Willow said, and reached over to turn off the   
light. She gathered by Buffy's breathing that her friend had no   
problem in making her way to dreamland. Willow, unfortunately was not   
that lucky. The memory of the moment that Oz-wolf had collapsed at   
her feet, arrow in his chest, continued to torment her until the   
early morning hours.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&  
Sunnydale  
Spike's mansion  
4 a.m.  
  
Spike walked back out to the living room, and was relieved to find   
that Riley had left. "Finally! And if he knows what's good for him,   
he'll stay out of my way. And his idiot sister too--"  
  
"What's that about Riley's idiot sister?" Tara said calmly, as she   
walked in the door.   
  
"You! I told you not to come back if you failed! Faith's dead, and   
I'm left to pick up the pieces!"  
  
"Hello, Will!" Angelus interrupted, making his entrance with Spike's   
minions.   
  
Spike's jaw dropped, as two of the men carried in the bound and still   
unconscious Cordelia and Wesley and dropped them unceremoniously on   
the floor.   
  
"Brought you a little present from L.A.," Angelus added with a grin.  
  
"Wha--how--when--you?" Spike stammered, looking from Tara to Angelus   
unbelievingly.   
  
"Yes, Spike. I'm back, and ready for some good old-fashioned slayer-  
torture." Angelus answered, and walked over to the couch, making   
himself comfortable. "What? Not even a welcome back, Sire?" he mocked.  
  
"Not bloody likely," Spike retorted, finding his voice finally. "And   
what am I supposed to do with these two?" indicating Cordy and   
Wesley.   
  
"I thought they would be more useful here than in L.A." Angelus   
answered.   
  
"Did I earn the right to be back in Sunnydale then?" Tara challenged   
Spike.   
  
"Yes, I suppose you managed to save yourself by this little stunt,   
witch," Spike replied. "But I still think your blinding spell must   
have some holes in it. How else would Faith have gotten dusted?"   
  
"Rich girl gets visions now," Angelus answered. "Which is another   
reason we had to keep her here. Can't have her running to Buffy with   
whatever she might know about this. She succeeded in warning Angel   
about a good portion of your plan to defeat Buffy. She knew what   
Faith was up to, as well. Luckily for you, Spike, Tara stepped in   
with her magic."   
  
"Well if you're expecting a thank you, you can bloody well wait til   
you rot, for all I care," Spike said to Tara. "As far as I'm   
concerned you should be thanking me for not torturing you just for   
the sheer pleasure of it," he added menacingly.   
  
To his shock, Tara laughed. "Oh, please, Spike, don't kill me!" she   
mocked, smiling at him.   
  
He snarled and lunged at her, but was repelled by an unseen force,   
which threw him across the room and into the opposite wall. Angelus   
roared with laughter at that, which only succeeded in angering Spike   
more. "I'll get you for that," he growled at Tara. "You should choose   
more carefully who you make an enemy of--"  
  
"Oh, shut up," Angelus interjected in aggravation. "You're acting   
like an idiot, Spike. Take our guests into the next room and make   
sure the ropes are tight. Gag them too, I'm just not in the mood for   
the sounds of screaming...yet. Then I think it's time to talk about   
our next move."  
  
Spike did as Angelus demanded, muttering, "Bloody hell. 'Do this,   
Spike', Do that Spike'. Yeah, bring Angelus back. Smart move, Spike."  
  
&&&&&&&&&  
Willow and Buffy's room  
8 a.m.  
  
Buffy awakened to see that Willow was already dressed and heading out   
the door. "Ugh. Going somewhere?" Buffy managed to form the words.  
  
"Yeah, I already called Giles, and he said Oz is up. I figured I'd go   
over there."  
  
"Mmhpggh," Buffy replied from around her pillow -- or at least that's   
the best Willow could do in deciphering it. She shook her head,   
giggled and left for Giles' house.   
  
Fifteen minutes later, Buffy was awakened a second time by a knock on   
the door. "AGH!" she yelled in response, and pulled herself out of   
bed, sparing a glance at her reflection in the mirror, snorting at it   
and thinking, *Oh, what the hell. Anyone who comes to my door at this   
time on a Saturday morning deserves the trauma of seeing me at my   
morning best.*  
  
She opened it to.... "Angel?" Buffy squeaked, and her jaw dropped   
open in shock.  
  
End Part Five 


	6. Chapter Six

Sunnydale  
Buffy and Willow's dorm  
8:30 am Saturday  
  
"Angel?" Buffy squeaked.   
  
"Hello, lover," he smirked back at her.   
  
"What are you doing here?"   
  
"Aren't you going to invite me in? Or are we going to discuss this in   
the hallway?" he asked.   
  
"The hallway works for me. Or better yet, why don't you go back to   
L.A," Buffy replied angrily.   
  
"I'm disappointed, Buffy, I thought you'd be happier to see me than   
this."  
  
"Tell me what you're doing here," she insisted.   
  
"L.A. got boring," he said dismissively. "Spike thought I'd have more   
fun back on the hellmouth, and I agreed."  
  
"What??? Since when are you and Spike on speaking terms," Buffy said,   
refusing to listen to the voice in her head screaming warnings at   
her.   
  
"I wouldn't say we're exactly on _speaking_ terms," Angelus answered   
with a grin. "But coming back is the least I could do for someone who   
helped free me of my silly need for redemption. I was getting so   
boring I was contemplating staking myself," he said with a chuckle.   
  
"What?" Buffy whispered "no--"  
  
"What's wrong, Lover? You don't look so good," Angelus taunted   
her. "You didn't really think Angel came back to you, did you?...Oh,   
that's so sweet. Naiive, but sweet. And I hate sweet" he said   
cruelly. "Don't worry, though," he added. "I won't disrupt your new   
life with your new boyfriend. Well, unless you consider it disruptive   
if I kill all those wannabe slayers who follow you and then kill you   
too."   
  
"NO!" she screamed and grabbed a stake off the table by her bed and   
ran to him.   
  
"You think you can kill me?" Angelus challenged, and grabbed her hand   
which held the stake. "Do it!" he taunted, guiding the stake still in   
her hand to his chest, over his heart. He laughed, and said, "I'm   
giving you first shot, Buffy. Dust me."   
  
"Die" she sobbed, and raised the stake.   
  
"Been there, done that," Angelus smirked.   
  
She looked at him, searching for some signs of the Angel she loved,   
and saw instead nothing but cruel, cold, hatred looking back at her.   
She dropped the stake, it fell to the floor, and then she followed   
it, falling to her knees in heartbreak.   
  
"What, can't kill me twice? I'm disappointed in you, Buffy," Angelus   
said, nudging her with his foot. "What happened to you? It's no fun   
fighting a slayer when her heart's not in it. You should be glad that   
Spike helped free me. It's not like Angel tried too hard to be with   
you. Well, gotta go now, Lover, I'm hungry. When you get tired of   
seeing the bodies piling up around Sunnydale, I'm sure you'll know   
how to find me."   
  
And with that, he was gone.   
  
  
&&&&&&&  
Spike's mansion  
  
  
Spike had slept in another room, with the door locked. He had   
remembered, if not too late to rethink the bring back Angelus plan,   
that his Sire was in fact one of the most psychotic undead he had   
ever had the misfortune to know. He also suspected that Angelus was   
probably contemplating how to make Spike pay for helping Buffy thwart   
his "suck the world into the hellmouth" plan a couple of years ago.   
Therefore, he was taking no chances. *Just can't enjoy watching the   
Slayer suffer if I'm dust, now can I?*   
  
He had heard Angelus leave earlier, probably to begin the Buffy   
torture, so he ventured out of the room. Then, he remembered. "Oh,   
bloody hell. What am I supposed to do about our guests? Can't say I'd   
mind feeding on little miss rich girl. But Angelus would probably not   
be too thrilled if I killed them before he was done with them."   
  
He walked over to the room in which Wesley and Cordelia were being   
held, and opened it. He was pleased to see the fear on Wesley's face,   
*but then again he always was all bark and no bite*, Spike laughed at   
his expression.   
  
"Well, hello, Dear," he said, walking over to Cordelia who was   
sitting against a wall. She looked up at him, eyes full of   
hatred. "How'd you sleep, Princess?" he asked with a grin.   
  
"mfmggmfff!!" Cordelia yelled from behind the piece of cloth that was   
gagging her.   
  
"What's that, Pet? I don't understand you, you'll have to speak up,"   
Spike replied with a grin.   
  
"MFMFFMGHGH!"   
  
"I hate when people repeat themselves," Spike said. Cordelia decided   
to answer him this time with a drop dead look.   
  
"Now, I could remove the gag, but if you scream, I'll have to put it   
back," Spike said.   
  
She nodded, and he reached around and untied the gag. "SON OF A--"   
was as far as she got, before he quickly replaced the gag, rolling   
his eyes.   
  
"Now, now. I'll have none of that kind of language. I'm a very   
sensitive chap," he chuckled.  
  
Cordelia snorted with laughter at that.   
  
"AND," Spike continued, "You'd do well to be nicer to me. I haven't   
had my breakfast yet and I seriously doubt you want to   
volunteer...No? Didn't think so."  
  
He walked over to Wesley, who had been watching his every move   
warily. "How 'bout it, Wesley? Should I remove the gag?" Wesley   
nodded furiously, so Spike knelt down to remove it.   
  
"Spike, you're making a mistake," Wesley said.   
  
"Am I, Watcher?..Oh, no, I forgot. Not watcher, she kind of didn't   
work out, did she. As I hear it, she got herself vamped. And then she   
wasn't very good at that, either, was she?" Spike added cruelly.  
  
Wesley tried to ignore that, and said, "Spike, you know that Buffy is   
going to come looking for us. And do you think that she will ever   
forgive you for what you did to Angel? I don't envy you the revenge   
you've earned."  
  
"Oh, I'm scared," Spike answered sarcastically. "Shaking in my boots   
and all that. Bringing Angelus back to Sunnydale is more dangerous   
for me than you know, Wes. But I think the pros outweigh the cons on   
this one. The way I figure it, Buffy will be so devastated by her   
lover's return minus his soul that we'll be able to get Sunnydale   
back in the control of the demons. First, we'll rid the town of the   
current slayer and her scoobies, and then we'll take care of the   
Initiative morons and their Frankenstein experiment."   
  
"How do you suppose you are going to manage all these things?" Wesley   
asked calmly.   
  
"Don't worry about that, Wesley," Spike replied with a grin. "I   
imagine you'll be long dead by then."  
  
"Spike, don't you remember what I taught you about talking to the   
food?" Angelus walked in then. "It's just not a good idea."  
  
"Well you're still here, and in one piece, so I take it your visit to   
the Slayer went as planned?" Spike asked.   
  
"Of course it did, Boy. My plans don't fail unless people choose to   
betray me," he said menacingly. He walked up to Spike, standing   
inches from him, glaring at him threateningly.  
  
"Betray? Now that's a harsh word," Spike tried to reason with him. "I   
don't think it's fitting, either. I mean, really, Angelus, you went   
off the deep end on that one. Your brilliant plan was, uh, let's   
see....let's suck the world right into the hellmouth? Now how much   
fun would that have been for us, really?" Spike said. He held his   
breath, waiting to see if Angelus' next move would be violent.  
  
Angelus continued to glare, and then chuckled and backed off. "That's   
why I put up with you, Spike. You've got guts. I think you're the   
only vampire that has ever dared to stand up to me, and that's why   
you're still alive."   
  
"Well, hip hip hooray for me," Spike muttered, and stalked out of the   
room, muttering something about 'bloody psychotic vampires and their   
stupid senses of humor.'  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
Giles' Apartment  
  
Willow arrived around eight-thirty and Giles admitted her. She went   
straight to the room that they had locked Oz in the previous night.   
He was sitting on the floor, wearing clothes that he had obviously   
borrowed from someone else. He looked up at her, and his face was   
full of guilt. "Hey," he said.   
  
"Hey," she answered. She walked over and sat down next to him.   
  
"So, I guess I surprised you last night, but not the way I was   
hoping," Oz said.   
  
Willow giggled, "Yeah, I guess you could say that," she replied with   
a smile. "Hey, look at it this way, you saved me from being Spike   
food!" she added helpfully, getting a smile from Oz at that.   
  
"Well, I'm glad that I could be at least that much help," he   
said. "So..."   
  
"So..." In the awkward silence that followed, each tried to come up   
with some way to start the necessary talking behavior.  
  
"Are you back?" Willow finally asked. "Or is this a 'just-passing-  
through, and oops, I forgot about the full moon, and I turned into a   
wolf before I could get out of town' thing."  
  
"No, I'm back, unless you don't want me back in Sunnydale. I guess   
you could say it's an 'I missed you' kind of thing," Oz replied. "I   
know I don't deserve it, Willow, but do you think that maybe someday   
you can forgive me? And I know I really don't deserve _this_, but I   
miss my girlfriend."   
  
"Well, I can't promise anything, Oz. You really hurt me the way you   
left," Willow told him. "Let's just see if we can remember what being   
friends was like," Willow suggested.   
  
"Fair enough," Oz replied with smile.   
  
"GIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLES!!!!" the sound of Buffy's shriek from the   
living room broke the mood, and Willow sighed. "Welcome back to   
Sunnydale, Oz. Home of Hurricane Buffy."   
  
"Do I sense something bitter behind that remark?" Oz asked curiously.   
  
"Well, let's just say that since Buffy started dating again, she's   
been different. No, actually, I can't even blame it all on Riley.   
Although, he's a big part of the problem.   
  
"Riley's just not right. I don't know how to explain it. But I see   
it, Xander sees it," at Oz's look of skepticism, she added, "No,   
Xander's feelings about Riley aren't about his crush on Buffy.   
Riley's in this Initiative group, whose sole purpose in life is   
toturing demons, and doing these weird medical experiments, and--" a   
knock on the door interrupted her, and she sighed, "--and it's a long   
story which I'll tell you later. Come in!"   
  
"Oh, good there you are. I need your help. He's back," Buffy said   
hurriedly.   
  
"Who?" Willow asked  
  
"Angelus."  
  
  
End of part 6. 


	7. Chapter Seven

&&&&&&&  
Giles' apartment  
Saturday morning  
10 am  
  
"What?" Willow said. "Angel's back? I must have hearing problems   
because I almost thought you said--"  
  
"Angelus," Giles said, entering the room. "Hello, Oz. I hope you're  
feeling okay?"  
  
"Yeah, besides being a little sore, I'll survive," Oz replied. "Thanks  
for letting me stay here, Giles."  
  
"That's quite all right," Giles said. "Now, as I was saying... Yes, it  
does appear that Angelus is back. Buffy tells me he visited her this  
morning."  
  
"But how? I don't understand," Willow said, still in disbelief.  
  
"I don't know. It doesn't really matter, does it? All that does matter  
is he's pretty ticked about the Acathla thing, and he came back for  
revenge," Buffy said. "I can handle him, but he's made it clear I'm   
one of the last on his list of torture victims. So I'd feel better if   
you guys stayed inside after dark, until we can take care of this.   
And also, Wills, you still have access to the spell, right?"  
  
"The gypsy curse? I suppose I do, but I don't know if we should do  
that--"  
  
"What do you mean, 'you don't know!" Buffy yelled back. "Of couse this  
is what we should do, how could you even question that!"  
  
"Buffy, I think Willow is trying to say that if we don't know how   
Angel lost his soul, we can't be sure that the curse will be   
effective," Giles tried to reason with his slayer.  
  
"Oh, come on, you two, we all know how he lost his soul. Moment of   
true happiness remember?" Buffy said bitterly, " -- And _DONT_ look   
at me like that, I wasn't saying it was _my_ fault. I haven't seen   
Angel since Thanksgiving!"  
  
"Buffy, you don't know that's how it happened," Willow replied. "I  
mean, I guess it's a possibility, but we don't know how many other   
ways that this might have happened. So all I was saying is, let's   
hold off on the Gypsy curse until me and Giles, if he has time, can   
do some research. Okay?"  
  
"Fine, whatever," Buffy muttered. "I gotta go warn Riley about this."  
  
"And Xander!" Willow reminded her. At Buffy's blank look, she added,  
"You remember Xander don't you? Tall, goofy guy? You know, he used to  
hang out with us? When there was an us?"   
  
As Buffy just continued to give her a puzzled look, Willow sighed   
with exasperation and continued, "Buffy, chances are that Angelus   
remembers Xander, therefore he's in more danger than Riley, who   
Angelus may not even know about."  
  
"Fine," Buffy shrugged. "I'll drop by Xander's after I see Riley." and  
walked out the door.  
  
"AAAARGH!" Willow yelled when Buffy had left the apartment. "Do you  
_see_ what I mean???? She's so not-Buffy lately!"  
  
"She did seem a little less interested in, well, anything other than   
you doing the curse, and her seeing Riley," Oz agreed.  
  
"G-" Willow looked over to where Giles had been standing, but he had  
escaped back to the living room. "Giles?" Willow and Oz walked to   
where Giles was sitting at a nearby desk, searching through   
books. "Do you think there might be another reason that Angel went   
soulless again?"  
  
"If there's one thing I've learned from my years on the Hellmouth,  
Willow, it's that usually the simplest answer isn't usually the right  
one."  
  
"I think that's Giles-speak for yes," Oz said with a grin.  
  
"Okay, so vampire research here we come," Willow said, as she grabbed   
a book and started going through it.  
  
  
&&&&&&&  
Riley's frat house  
11 am  
  
Buffy went to Riley's room, but he wasn't there. "That's weird," she  
said, checking her watch. "He doesn't have any classes until this  
afternoon. Maybe he's got Initiative stuff to take care of."   
  
She checked his door, and it was unlocked, so she went in to leave   
him a note to call her the minute he got in. On her way out the door   
of the fraternity, she ran into Tara. "Oh, hey, Tara."  
  
"Hey, Buffy have you seen--"  
  
"Willow?" Buffy finished with a smile. "Yeah she's at Giles' place.  
She'll probably be there for a while. But I'm sure she wouldn't mind   
if you dropped by."  
  
"Okay, maybe I will later, thanks."  
  
As Tara walked away, Buffy thought, *Now what else was it that I was  
supposed to do? Oh, well. It must not have been that important, or I'd  
remember it.*  
  
  
&&&&&&  
Spike's mansion  
3 pm  
  
Angelus walked into the room where Cordelia and Wesley were tied   
up. "So how are our guests doing?" he asked with a grin.  
  
"MGPHGH!" Cordelia said behind her gag, making Angelus laugh.   
  
"Okay, I suppose I could ungag you. I _am_ bored." He reached down   
and pulled the gag form her mouth.  
  
"You are _so_ going to be dustboy, as soon as Buffy finds out!"   
Cordelia spat at him.  
  
"Oh, she knows, and I'm not dust, am I?" Angelus taunted her. "What's  
wrong, Cordy? Cat got your tongue? I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I  
don't think Buffy is going to be that much of a problem."  
  
"She was just in shock, but when she comes back to her senses, she'll  
deal with you," Cordelia insisted.  
  
"Sure she will. You just keep telling yourself that. In the meantime,   
I have some fun planned for tonight. I was thinking of who I should go  
after first, and I just couldn't decide. The witch or the... well,  
that's one thing I never could figure out. What _is_ Xander's use in  
that pathetic Scooby Gang? I suppose it doesn't matter anyway. He'll   
be dead, like all the rest of you, very soon."  
  
"Oh, is this where I'm supposed to say, 'Oh, no, evil vampire guy.  
Please don't hurt me!'?" Cordelia said sarcastically.  
  
"Are you sure you wouldn't like to be a vampire?" Angelus asked,  
stroking her face. "You'd stay young and beautiful forever."  
  
"Eeww! I think no would be an understatement," Cordelia said, trying   
to scoot away from his touch.  
  
"Don't you have anything better to do than torment them?" Spike asked   
as he walked in. "I thought that you preferred a good hunt, Angelus.   
And there's no hunt if they're already bound and gagged. So where's   
the fun?"  
  
"Well, hello, Spike! Glad you decided to come back. I was just telling  
Cordelia here that I couldn't decide which member of the Scoobies to   
go after first. Xander or Willow. Personally, I think the witch would   
be a fun one to go after."  
  
"You can't do that," Spike said quickly.   
  
"Oh, I can't?" Angelus replied. "And why is that?" he asked, standing   
up and facing Spike.  
  
"I just meant that I thought your plan was a slow, steadily worsening,  
torture of the Slayer. Go after Red, and Buffy will come at you so   
fast you won't know what hit you.   
  
"If you want to just moderately irritate, go after Xander first. Make   
Buffy watch Red's pain at losing her best-friend-slash-whatever-the   
hell-else-he-is-to-her. Buffy will be upset, but not enough to go   
after her precious Angel.   
  
"Then you can go after Red, but by then, be ready for the wrath of   
Buffy. Just my suggestion, though. Take it or leave it," Spike said   
with a shrug, and walked back into the living room.  
  
"See? That's why I chose you, Spike," Angelus said, following   
him. "You think things through, all different possibilities. Whereas   
I was just thinking, 'torture the Slayer', and didn't really care how   
it got done, you were thinking, 'how can we torture the Slayer and   
get the most enjoyment out of it.' That's where we make a good team,"   
he said with a grin.  
  
Riley saved Spike from having to come up with a witty response by  
walking in at that moment.   
  
"Oh, bloody hell," Spike muttered with a roll of the eyes. "You were   
supposed to stay away, you idiot. If Buffy finds you here, it kind of   
negates the surprise, remember?" he yelled at his childe.   
  
"She didn't follow me," Riley replied sullenly. "I called Giles', and   
she was there. She warned me about Angelus, she thinks I'm in danger   
from him," he added with a smile.  
  
"You," Angelus said with a chuckle, "must be Spike's childe." He   
looked the blond vampire up and down quickly. He turned to Spike,   
asking, "What, exactly was your big, important reason for turning him   
again, Spike?"  
  
"Oh, shove it where the sun don't shine," Spike muttered and walked   
back into his bedroom. He found he far preferred the company of the   
bound and gagged Cordelia and Wesley to that of the two vampires in   
the other room.  
  
&&&&&&&&&  
Giles' house  
8 pm  
  
Giles, Buffy, Willow and Oz were poring through all of Giles' books,  
looking for any reason that Angel would have lost his soul other than  
the already-known one. Buffy threw a book across the room, and said,  
"This is pointless, guys. Who cares how Angel lost his soul, we just  
return it to him, and that's that."  
  
"Buffy, something tells me that Angel going soulless isn't going to be  
fixed by the gypsy curse," Willow replied.   
  
"What makes you say that?" Giles asked curiously.  
  
"Well, we know who ultimately was behind it, right?" Willow asked.  
"Yeah, Spike. First on my top-ten-most-wanted-dust list," Buffy said.   
  
"Okay, but _he_didn't personally do it right? And I've been thinking,   
you remember when he kidnapped me and Xander, he wanted me to do the   
love spell on Dru. He's always been fascinated by magic and spells,   
so what if that's how he did it."  
  
"If that's the case," Giles said, "it might also be the case that  
whoever performed the spell also is powerful enough to block any  
attempts to reverse it."  
  
"Which means we have to find out for sure," Buffy sighed. "Willow,   
you have some more magic books at the dorm, right?"  
  
"Yeah, I can call Xander and have him drop by and get them on his way  
over. He is coming over, right?" At Buffy's confused look, Willow  
continued, "Buffy you told Xander, right?"   
  
When Buffy didn't answer, Willow jumped up and grabbed the Slayer by   
the shoulders, "Buffy! Tell me you warned Xander!"   
  
The light finally dawned in the slayer's brain, and she looked at   
Willow apologetically.   
  
Willow slapped her in the face, screaming, "What is WRONG WITH   
YOU?!!! HOW could you forget to warn Xander! I shouldn't have HAD to   
remind you, anyway! The self-obsession is OLD already, BUFFY! There   
are other people in this world, and we are JUST AS IMPORTANT AS YOU   
AND YOUR PRECIOUS RILEY!"  
  
Willow jumped ran to the phone then. "Oh, please. Let him be there,  
let him be there," she said, dialing the phone.   
  
"Willow, I'm--" Buffy started to apologize.  
  
"SHUT UP!!!!" Willow screamed. "If your carelessness caused--"  
  
"Hey, it's okay," Oz said reassuringly, walking over to the panicked  
red-head. "Xander's probably fine. He and Anya are--"  
  
"NOT ANSWERING!!" Willow yelled.  
  
End of 7 


	8. Chapter Eight

&&&&&&&&&&&  
Giles' House  
8:30 pm  
  
Willow still held the phone handset. She looked at it, as if she   
wasn't sure what to do with it. Oz took it from her gently, and  
placed it back.  
  
"Just because they're not answering at Xander's, doesn't mean   
something has happened to them. They're probably at the Bronze,"   
Giles offered helpfully.  
  
"We'll go find them," Oz said, and he and Willow gathered a few of the  
smaller weapons, just to be safe.   
  
Buffy said, "I'll come--" but at Willow's glare, she finished   
with "....or not."  
  
After Oz and Willow had left, Buffy looked to Giles, and   
whined, "What's with her? Aren't I allowed to forget things?"  
  
"Not when those things could cause the death of someone you say is   
your friend," Giles answered disapprovingly.  
  
"Geez, I didn't do it on purpose," Buffy huffed, "I just--"  
  
"got careless, Buffy. And careless is NOT something a Slayer is   
allowed to be," Giles said.  
  
"Okay, okay, lecture understood. Bad Slayer, I get it. I'm going to go  
patrol," Buffy said, closing the book she had been trying to study and  
standing up. "Hopefully my being out there will keep Angelus and Spike  
away from the others. I'll check in after a little while and find out   
if the gang got back here safely."  
  
"I think that would be a good idea, your going out patrolling that   
is," Giles answered with a nod, not looking up from his book. As   
Buffy opened the door, he looked up and said, "Buffy?"   
  
"Yeah, Giles?" she looked back at him with a not-another-lecture   
look. "Be careful," he said.  
  
She smiled, and said, "I always am."  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&  
Sunnydale, near the Bronze  
8:30 pm  
  
Xander and Anya were walking to the Bronze, enjoying the unusually   
quiet demon-free spring evening. "Do you think it's because of Adam?"   
Anya asked. "The lack of demon activity, I mean."  
  
"I don't know, but I'm not going to complain," Xander replied with a  
grin, taking Anya's hand. "I like being able to walk down the street  
with my girlfriend, without having to do demon killing and vampire  
dusting along the way. Although I am prepared for them. I've got some  
holy water, a stake, and well, if those things fail.... I can yell  
really loud," he said with a grin.  
  
Anya giggled in reply, and said, "Don't worry, honey, I've got your  
back. I can protect you from the big bad demons."  
  
"Okay, while I don't doubt that, I'd prefer if you didn't spread that  
information around. It would seriously hinder my reputation as a manly  
man." When Anya giggled again, he added, "And giggling at that remark  
doesn't help my self-image either."  
  
"Oh, Xander, you're a very manly man," Anya reassured him. "And if you  
need any reassuring on that point, we could go back to your place,"   
she added with a smile.  
  
"Uh...suddenly I can't remember why we were going to the Bronze,"   
Xander said with a grin.  
  
"But lucky for me, you are so predictable," Angelus said, walking up   
to them with a smile.  
  
"Dead boy! What are you doing back?" Xander replied in surprise. "I  
thought you were in L.A., doing a slaying thing of your own."  
  
"I really wish you wouldn't call me that," Angelus said with a roll of  
the eyes. "You think you're funny, but you're so not. As for what I'm  
doing here, well, I have some unfinished business to take care of here  
in bad old Sunnydale."  
  
"Such as?" Xander asked.  
  
Angelus snapped his fingers, and twenty vampires appeared, surrounding  
Xander and Anya. "Such as maiming, torturing and killing you, to begin  
with. Basically all part of my plan for making the Slayer pay for  
sending me to hell."  
  
As Angelus approached, Xander said, "Uh, I guess it's probably   
stating the obvious but something tells me you misplaced your  
soul again?" He looked around, to see if there was a place to run, but  
there were vampires on all sides. He pulled Anya behind him, and put   
his other hand in his jeans pocket, closing it around the vial of holy  
water.  
  
"I guess you could say that," Angelus answered with a smile. He nodded  
to one of the vampires, who charged at Xander and Anya from  
Xander's left. Xander threw the holy water, and the vampire screamed   
and stumbled away.  
  
"What else ya got?" Angelus asked, still grinning.   
  
"Oh, don't worry," Xander said. "I'm saving the best for you. Unlike   
Buffy or Willow, I have no qualms at all about removing you from this   
world. I still haven't forgotten what you did to Miss Calendar, and I   
will enjoy ending your unlife."  
  
"I'm scared," Angelus replied boredly. He nodded to another vampire.  
This one, on Xander's right, ran at Xander, who staked him before he   
got close enough to do any harm.  
  
"Okay, so we've established that you do well with one-on-one attacks,  
but we need to wrap this up," Angelus said. "You can hurt them all you  
want. But leave them alive," he said to the vampires.  
  
The remaining vampires approached Anya and Xander then. Xander dusted  
two more, but the next one grabbed his wrist and snapped it. He yelled  
in pain and dropped the stake. Anya inflicted some scratches on   
several vamps, but was overpowered quickly. Angelus led the group   
back to his mansion, the remaining vampires dragging the yelling Anya   
and Xander behind.  
  
&&&&&&&&  
The Bronze  
9 pm  
  
Willow and Oz arrived at the Bronze, and Willow scanned the building  
quickly. "They're not here," she wailed. "Oz, what if--"  
  
"No," Oz interrupted her, putting his hand on her arm to comfort her.  
"Happy thoughts, Willow. Xander and Anya are fine. And we are going to  
find them, okay?"  
  
"Okay," Willow said taking a deep breath. "Thanks for coming out here  
with me," she added with a smile.  
  
"Where else would I be?" Oz replied. "I haven't always been Xander's  
biggest fan, but that's because I was jealous. And I'm over that now,   
I think. I'm glad you have such a good friend."  
  
"Thank you for saying that," Willow said, and hugged him impulsively.   
He sighed with relief, glad that she'd finally let him in, a little   
bit at least, and put his arms around her.   
  
She pulled away finally, saying, "You never did need to be jealous   
though. You do know that, don't you?"  
  
"I think so. Come on, let's call Giles and see if we somehow managed   
to miss them on their way to his place," Oz suggested.  
  
"Okay, that sounds like a plan," Willow said, taking his hand as they  
went in search of a pay phone.  
  
&&&&&&&  
Spike's Mansion  
  
Angelus and the other vampires reached the house finally. Angelus  
ordered the vampires to put Anya and Xander in the other room Cordelia  
and Wesley. They shoved them roughly inside, and locked the door from  
the outside. "Let us outta here!" Xander yelled, banging on the door  
with his un-injured hand. "That vampire broke my wrist!" he said to   
Anya.  
  
"Well, I guess you aren't the rescue party," Wesley said   
sarcastically. "Wait, you aren't are you? Because if you are I think   
I might start crying--"  
  
"Can it, Wes," Xander said. "I'd say it's good to see you and it   
is...but I guess I would've preferred not seeing you here, if you get   
my drift."  
  
"Perfectly," Wesley replied, "and believe me we feel likewise."  
  
"Cordy," Xander said.  
  
"Xander."  
  
"Gee, I can so feel the love here," Anya interjected then with a roll   
of her eyes.  
  
"Anya," Cordelia said, "I must say, I would've thought you would have   
done better for your choice of boyfriend."  
  
"Hey!" Xander yelled. "I happen to be a perfectly good boyfriend--"  
  
"Sorry, the matching scars on my stomach and my back would disagree   
with you," Cordelia returned calmly.  
  
"It's not _my_ fault that you fell through those stairs!" Xander   
yelled back.   
  
Anya put a hand on his arm, to stop his outburst. "Xander, Cordelia,   
why don't we play 'blame game' later, please? We have more important   
things to think about right now. Such as getting away from the  
psychotic vampire who wants to.....what did he say....oh yeah, maim  
torture and kill. Those were his words."  
  
"Anya's right," Wesley agreed. "The first thing you two could do is  
untie us. Then, maybe, we could determine a way out of here."  
  
"Now, see, this is what I get for leaving it up to others," Angelus  
said, entering the room. "If you want something done right, it's just  
better to do it yourself. Or at least pay close attention and make   
sure that others get it right.   
  
"Tie them up, just like these two," he said to five vampires who had   
followed him into the room. After a short struggle, Xander and Anya   
were tied, hands and feet.  
  
"You won't get away with this," Xander threatened. "I'm sure that when  
Buffy finds out--"   
  
"Buffy has known since this morning," Angelus interrupted. At   
Xander's shocked look, he gave a cruel laugh. "Oh, she  
didn't tell you. Well, I guess you know where you stand with her, now.  
Don't you?"  
  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&  
One of many cemeteries  
9 pm  
  
"Here, demons, demons, demons," Buffy called. "Where are all of you?"  
she yelled out into the silent night. "After the day I've had I need  
some slayage fun. First my ex-boyfriend comes back as his evil twin,   
and then Willow gets all wiggy on me because I forget to fill Xander   
in on the news. And then Giles gets on my case, and I hate it when he   
does that. He gives me a guilt trip like nobody else can. Meanwhile,   
I'm sure that Anya and Xander are safe and sound somewhere, doing   
what they do best, which is something best done in private."  
  
As she rounded a corner, she saw Spike feeding. "Oh, this is just too  
perfect!" Buffy said, and let out a sigh of irritation as he dropped   
his dinner, this time a young man. "How many times do I have to tell,   
you Spike. Stop...punch killing kick my backhand classmates!   
punch"  
  
Spike got up from the ground, where he had been knocked down, and   
said, "You're more violent than normal, Slutty. What's got you in a   
snit tonight?"  
  
"Gee, Spike, I dunno," Buffy replied, pulling out her stake. "It might  
have something to do with the fact that you made Angel go soulless  
again. You are _so_ going to pay for that one, and I'm not going to   
make it a quick, painless death, like I normally would."  
  
"Promises, promises," Spike said with a grin. "Like I said before, if   
I was ever in any real danger from you, I wouldn't still be here,   
would I?"  
  
"I was too soft on you, Spike," Buffy replied. "I felt sorry for you,  
you were so pathetic. And then when you left, I figured you weren't my  
problem anymore. But then, when you came back, I really should've put  
more effort into ending your patheticness.... is that a word? Well,   
any way, point is, I'm done being Miss Nice Slayer. You do realize   
that removing Angel's soul was a major death wish, don't you?"  
  
"Stop talking and slay, already," Spike taunted.   
  
"Okay," she replied happily and ran at him. He leapt back and tripped   
her on her way by. She jumped back up quickly, and punched him in the   
face. He punched her back, and the force of it threw her ten feet. As   
she was getting up, contemplating making that cocky face of his a lot   
less cocky, she heard footsteps and whirled around.  
  
"Oh, hey, Riley," she said, greeting her boyfriend. "You're just in   
time to help me dust Spike!" she said, kissing him quickly.  
  
"Sorry, Buffy, can't do that," Riley said, with an apologetic look.  
  
"Wha-?" Buffy's bewildered expression caused Spike to chuckle.  
  
Riley smiled, and said, "It's bad manners to dust your Sire," and  
changed to game-face.  
  
Buffy promptly shrieked in surprise, and then fainted.  
  
End of 8 


	9. Chapter Nine

&&&&&&&&&  
Sunnydale Cemetery  
10 pm, Saturday  
  
"Well, bloody hell," Spike said in shock. "Granted, I didn't know  
exactly how she'd react, but I certainly wasn't expecting this!" He  
nudged the unconscious Slayer's shoulder with the toe of his boot.  
  
"Now what?" Riley asked.  
  
"We bring 'er around, that's what. It's no fun if she's gonna give up  
that easy. Hey, Slayer!" He knelt down and shook Buffy. "Wake up so   
we can play some more." He stood back as she began to stir, knowing   
better than to be within arm's reach when she came to.  
  
"You know, Spike, Angelus said to stay away from Buffy--" Riley said.  
  
"Perhaps I should explain something to you," Spike said with a roll of  
his eyes. "The day I obey an order from Angelus is the day hell   
freezes over. This is my town, and all this was my plan. So I don't   
bloody care if he wants this Slayer, he doesn't get the pleasure."   
  
"But--" Riley persisted, and Spike backhanded him.  
  
"If you're going to be such a pansy about it, then get lost. Cowards   
are not welcome in my presence. But if you insist on following me   
around like a puppy dog, do not question me, and shut the hell up!!"  
  
The yelling must have brought Buffy out of her daze, as she opened her  
eyes then. She stood up slowly, still disoriented, and saw the two   
vampires. She looked to Spike, and asked, "I suppose I have you  
to thank for _this_ too?" pointing toward Riley.  
  
"Yeah, it's my little gift to you, one of many actually. Like it?" he  
said with a grin.  
  
"Why?" she asked then.  
  
"Because, Buffy dear," Spike replied, "You Slayer, Me Vampire. The   
only joy in my un-life is in tormenting you. Eventually, when you're  
completeley destroyed, I'll kill you. There yet?" he added hopefully.  
  
She looked to Riley, "You _have_ to remember, Riley. Remember us.   
There has to be some part of you that remembers what we meant to each  
other," she pleaded.  
  
Riley looked at her coldly, and said, "Oh, I remember everything. I   
just don't care," he shrugged.  
  
"Too bad, Buffy. Looks like it's just you 'n' me," Spike said. "Riley  
wouldn't dare defy me even if he did still feel something for  
you, he knows I'm stronger than him."   
  
Buffy turned on him then and went to punch him, but her hand bounced   
off the air about six inches from making impact. "Huh?" she muttered   
in surprise, a puzzled look on her face. Spike laughed at her   
confusion, saying, "That's my next surprise. Looks like the spell   
finally took. You can't hurt me. Nobody can hurt me."  
  
"Magic?"  
  
"Very good," he said, approaching her.   
  
"How cowardly is that," Buffy challenged. "You can't beat me, so you   
use magic to protect yourself?"  
  
"I prefer to think of it," he said, grabbing her stake and throwing it  
away, "like this." He grabbed her, and she struggled, but was  
unable to kick or hit him.   
  
"There's more than one way to defeat someone, Buffy. Your Watcher   
should have taught you that years ago. Maybe he did, and you weren't   
listening. I did beat you, by being smarter than you. I used what I   
knew about magic to defeat you. Don't bloody whine to me about it not   
being fair. There is no such thing as _fair_ in this world, Chit. I   
won, you lost. Get over it."  
  
Spike sank his fangs into her neck, and Buffy was powerless to fight  
him.   
  
When he finished drinking and dropped her, Riley walked over and  
looked down at her. He looked up at Spike in surprise. "You didn't   
kill her?"  
  
"Of course not," Spike replied. "I said I didn't obey Angelus. I  
_didn't_ say I had a wish for a slow, painful, removal from this   
world," he shrugged. "Come on, I'm sure one of the Scoobies will be   
along shortly to help Slutty there. You and I don't need to be around   
when that happens."  
  
Willow and Oz found Buffy five minutes later. "Buffy!" Willow yelled,  
running to her friend, and kneeling beside her. "Oh, no!" she added   
when she saw the bite marks. She checked Buffy's pulse and breathed a   
sigh of relief. "She's still alive, but barely."  
  
"I'll run get the van," Oz said. "Do you think you'll be okay?"  
  
Willow did a quick scan of the area, but didn't see any demons or  
vampires. "Go! We have to get her to a hospital, I'm sure the vamps   
are long gone by now."   
  
As Oz ran off Willow turned back to Buffy. "Buffy?" she shook her   
friend gently. "Buffy, can you hear me?" Buffy whimpered, which was   
an encouragement to Willow. "Buffy, I'm here. Oz and I will get you   
to the hospital. You're going to be okay."  
  
True to his promise, Oz pulled up in the van just a minute later. He   
jumped out, and helped Willow carry Buffy to it. As they sped off to   
the hospital, Willow began crying silently. "This can't be   
happening," she whispered. "First Xander and Anya disappear, and now   
Buffy gets attacked by a vampire."   
  
Oz reached over and grabbed her hand, squeezing it   
reassuringly. "She'll be okay, Willow. They'll all be okay."  
  
"Who do you think did this to her?" Willow asked.   
  
"Well, I don't think it was Angelus," Oz answered. Willow asked, "Why   
do you say that?"  
  
"Because if he wanted to drink from her, I don't think he'd leave her  
alive," Oz said.  
  
Ten minutes later, Oz, Willow, Giles and Joyce were sitting in the  
hospital waiting room. Joyce was typically panicked. "How many more  
times?" she asked Giles angrily "How many more times does she have to   
be at the point of death before you stop this!?"  
  
"That's not fair, Mrs. Summers," Willow said forcefully. "Giles didn't  
cause this. In fact, it's probably _because_ of Giles that Buffy has  
survived for so long. So don't go yelling at him, you should be   
yelling at the vamp who attacked Buffy...but you can't...because we   
haven't found it....and besides, if we did, we would want to stake   
it, not yell at it, because that would be silly, you know? And of   
course you don't know, and I'm rambling. Somebody stop me?"  
  
"Willow, why don't we take a walk," Oz said taking her hand.   
  
"Okay," Willow said gratefully. As they walked away, Joyce and Giles   
could hear Willow say, "walking is good, because then I won't have to   
think about talking, because I'm just too upset right now to make any   
sense..."  
  
&&&&&&&&&  
Spike's Mansion  
11 pm  
  
"AAAAAAH!" Cordelia yelled, doubling over in pain.  
  
"Geez, what the hell was that!" Xander said.  
  
"Shut up, Xander," Wesley replied irritably. "Cordelia, what is it.   
What did you see?"  
  
"She got a vision," Anya explained to Xander. "I've seen this before,  
it's usually accompanied by a killer headache."  
  
"Shut up! She doesn't remember them long, let her talk!" Wesley   
yelled.  
  
"Okay, I just have to say ow, first," Cordelia said. "And then, I know  
who did this to Angel--"  
  
"Who the hell _cares_ who did this?!" Xander interrupted. "Too bad he  
lost his soul, but he's planning on torturing and killing us any   
minute now. So excuse me if I'm more a fan of staking him and just   
being rid of him for good--"  
  
"Xander, shut up!" Cordy and Wesley both yelled then.   
  
"Some blond girl performed a magic spell or something like that on   
Angel," Cordy said. "I saw it, I think she went to L.A. with Faith."  
  
"What did she look like?" Anya asked curiously. "Who Faith?" Cordelia  
asked giving Anya a confused look. "You remember Faith, the skanky   
other Slayer--"  
  
"NO, the blond girl," Anya said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Oh, well. She was short, she had kind of shoulder length blond  
hair....OOOOOOOOOW!...." Cordelia screamed as another vision hit her.   
  
"Okay, she knows Willow. She and Willow practice magic together.   
You'd think that The Powers that Be could just tell me things all at   
once, it would be easier and less painful," Cordy said.  
  
"It's Tara," Xander said. "I _knew_ that she wasn't right."  
  
"No, Xander, that was just your weird jealousy thing every time anyone  
pays attention to Willow," Anya replied.  
  
"He _still_ does that?" Cordy said in surprise.  
  
Anya nodded, "Yeah, it's so annoying--"  
  
"Tell me about it!"  
  
"Ladies, please!" Wesley interrupted. "Stay on topic. So we know who  
reversed the Gypsy curse, but we still don't know how to bring Angel  
back--"  
  
"Have I dropped into some alternate reality????" Xander asked. "There  
_is_ no Angel. Angel's gone. Angelus is a vampire, Buffy kills   
vampires. She'll kill Angelus, problem solved. Why is this so   
difficult for you people to understand?"  
  
"Okay, unless things have changed drastically since I left Sunnydale,  
what you want still isn't important," Cordelia said. "Angel is one of   
my only friends, the first person in my life who ever treated me with   
any respect. So I'll be damned if I let you or anyone else just stake   
him because Spike decided he wanted to have some fun!" she   
yelled. "Now, Wesley, I have an idea on how to bring Angel back..."  
  
End of PART 9 


	10. Chapter Ten

&&&&&&&&&  
Spike's Mansion  
Sunday, 8 am  
  
  
"How long do we have to wait before he gets bored and decides to start  
torturing us?" Anya asked.  
  
"Gee, Anya, that was a nice thought to wake up to," Xander replied  
sarcastically.  
  
"I'm afraid she's right, though," Wesley said. "What did Angelus do   
the last time he was here?"  
  
"He taunted Buffy, he played mindgames. He lured her away, and sent   
his pals to kill the rest of us. Luckily I only ended up with a broken  
wrist...gee that seems familiar. Willow got knocked out, and Giles got  
the torture....oh, yeah. We're screwed."  
  
"Good call, Xander," Angelus said as he walked in then. "The trouble   
is I just haven't been able to choose which one of you to play with   
first. But, I think my boy Spike was right. You first, then the rest   
of you, I don't care what order. Then the red-haired witch. Then,   
finally, Buffy."  
  
"Oh, good. Did I come back just in time to watch the fun start?" Spike  
said. "Can I play too?"  
  
"Maybe you can have one of these for breakfast, but I get the boy,"  
Angelus answered. He walked over to Xander.  
  
Anya screamed, "Leave him alone!" and kicked out at him, tripping   
him.   
  
"Oh, you really shouldn't have done that," Angelus said, getting   
up. "Change of plans." He grabbed Anya and sunk his fangs into her   
neck, drinking from her.  
  
"NO!" Xander yelled. He tried to help Anya, but Spike walked  
over and kicked him, knocking him down.  
  
"Down, Boy," Spike said. "You'll get your turn later."  
  
"Thanks, Spike," Angelus said with a grin, as he stood up. "You can   
have Cordelia later. Right now, I'm feeling a serious need to torture  
someone." He grabbed Xander by his injured wrist, and Xander screamed   
in pain. "That's just the beginning, kid," Angelus chuckled, as he   
dragged Xander out of the room.  
  
"Have fun listening to the screams," Spike said to Wesley and   
Cordelia. "Your turn comes next."  
  
When he'd left, Cordelia said, "Wesley, look at Anya. Is she still  
alive?"  
  
"I think I see her breathing," Wesley answered. "She was a demon,   
maybe she's stronger than Angelus knew."  
  
"Okay, how close are you to getting my wrists untied," Cordelia asked,  
as she scooted her way back to where Wesley could reach her bound  
wrists.  
  
"Almost. Are you sure you can get out that window?" he asked, looking   
at the small window above the bed.  
  
"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that," Cordelia said. "Because   
if I had heard you, I would assume that was a criticism about my   
size. And then I would be inclined to forget about coming back to   
help you."  
  
"Done!" Wesley said, as he finally got the last knot untied.  
  
"God, finally," Cordelia went to work on the rope tying her feet  
together. "Are you sure you don't want to try to get out too? I mean,  
you'll be in really big trouble--"  
  
"Cordelia, don't talk, just go! We don't know how much time we have  
before one of them come back!" Wesley hissed.  
  
"Okay, but she's going out the window first." Cordelia got up, and  
checked Anya's pulse. "Wow, it's still pretty strong. Maybe you were  
right." She picked up Anya under the arms and dragged her to the bed.  
She put her on the bed, and slapped her face gently, "Hey, wake up!"  
  
"Wha--" Anya's eyes fluttered open.  
  
"No talk. Stand up, there we go, on the bed okay. Now I open the   
window, and boost--" She shoved Anya out the window, and waited for   
the resulting thud as Anya hit the ground outside. Cordelia looked   
back at Wesley, "I can't leave you--"  
  
"Go!" Wesley insisted. "Get Buffy, and do what we agreed on."  
  
Cordelia looked at him in surprise, "You mean you still--"  
  
"Save Angel. He's my friend too," Wesley replied.  
  
"Okay, I'll be back before you know I'm gone," Cordelia assured him.   
She grabbed the windowsill and pulled herself out the window. "Ow,"   
she said as quietly as possible as she hit the ground on the other   
side, narrowly missing falling on Anya who was lying there.  
  
"Never thought you'd get here," Anya said with a smile. She then got a  
puzzled look on her face, saying, "Where's Xander?" Her answer was a  
Xander's yell of pain from inside. "Oh, God, I gotta help him," Anya  
said, standing up.  
  
"Oh, no you don't. Use your head, Anya. We can't help him unless we   
come back with reinforcements," Cordelia argued, grabbing Anya's arm.  
  
"But--"  
  
"There's only one thing that can stop this," Cordelia said. "And we   
will stop it. Nobody deserves that, not even Xander Harris," she   
added as she pulled Anya away down the street.  
  
  
&&&&&&&&&  
Sunnydale Hospital  
9 am  
  
Buffy woke, to the sight of being hooked up to an IV, in a   
hospital. "Now there's a shocker," she muttered to herself. "There's   
gotta be some irony somewhere in the fact that not even Spike felt   
like killing me. I must be really pathetic."  
  
"Not pathetic," Willow protested, as she, Oz and Giles entered the   
room.  
  
"Where's mom?" Buffy asked. "And where's Xander, and Anya?"  
  
"Anya showed up about five minutes ago, with Cordelia of all people,"  
Willow answered. "Anya had lost a lot of blood, but they think she'll   
be okay. She's getting replenished too, just like you. Apparently,   
Angelus decided to bring Wesley and Cordy to Sunnydale with him. He   
grabbed Anya and Xander last night, Buffy."  
  
"Oh, Will, I hate myself for forgetting to tell them. I don't know  
what's wrong with me--"  
  
"We do," Willow replied. "Magic, Buffy. All this time I thought you   
were acting weird because of everything you've been through since   
graduation. I just thought it had changed you. But I was wrong, and I   
should've known. I've got a story for you, if you're feeling well   
enough to hear it. It'll have to be quick, though, because Wesley and   
Xander are still with Angelus and Spike."  
  
"I'm almost good as new, Will," Buffy answered. "Part of being a   
Slayer, you know. I heal fast. So let's get out of here--" She slowly   
sat up.   
  
Willow said, "You shouldn't, you need to rest--"  
  
"Willow, I need to be doing something now. I need to save Xander and  
Wesley. I have to stop Angelus," Buffy said with determination.  
  
"Okay, well...Giles and Oz will wait outside while I help you get   
ready." Willow said. She nodded to the two men, who went outside.  
  
While she was helping Buffy dress, Willow began to fill her in on what  
Cordelia had told them and what else they had discovered. " ...I guess  
first thing to tell you is Tara is the one who caused Angel to lose   
his soul. She got her hands on the curse, and somehow she figured out   
how to reverse it. Oz and I went to the dorm this morning, and I got   
into her room. She's into the really powerful black magic, Buffy. I   
had no clue, after all the time I've spent with her. Anyway, I   
borrowed a few of her books, and I don't think there's a way to   
reverse what she did."   
  
At Buffy's look of despair, she continued, "at least not how we   
thought. I can't just do the curse again, it wouldn't work. Her magic   
is stronger than mine. That's where Cordy comes in, though. But   
before I tell you that, you need to know that Riley's a vampire."  
  
"I know," Buffy said with a sigh.  
  
"You do?" Willow asked.  
  
"Yeah, I ran into him and Spike last night. I also found out that   
Spike has some kind of a protection spell which keeps anyone from   
hurting him--"  
  
"That would be Tara again," Willow supplied.  
  
"And that's how he was able to attack me," Buffy said. "This is really  
bad, Will. If I can't do my job, we're all as good as dead."  
  
"Well, I think I can counteract that spell enough to weaken it,  
hopefully that will be enough for you to do your thing," Willow   
offered.  
  
"But I don't understand why I didn't _know_ that Riley was a vampire,"  
Buffy said. "I've gotten to the point that...let me guess. Tara   
again?"  
  
"Who else?" Willow answered with a shrug.  
  
"What is with that girl, Will? I mean, seriously, what _is_ her major  
trauma in life that she's helping two vampires in their plot to take  
over this town?"  
  
"I wish I knew. I think there's some reason, a reason that would make  
more sense than what we know now. But at least we do know, so now we   
can try to bring Angel back," Willow said reassuringly.  
  
"I can't believe you still want to do that. I mean you know what he's  
probably doing to Xander--" Buffy noticed Willow wince, and said,  
"That was a major case of Buffy stupidity. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean  
to bring that up. Okay, all ready, let's go."  
  
Buffy and Willow walked out of the room, and were met by Joyce. "Where  
do you think you're going?" she demanded of her daughter.  
  
"To say you have bad timing would be the understatement of the   
century," Buffy said in frustration.  
  
"Well, that's just too damn bad," Joyce replied. "You are not going  
anywhere--"  
  
"Yes, I am," Buffy interrupted. "We've done this before. Try a new   
tune next time," she said as she pushed her way past her mom. She and   
the rest of the gang went outside to Oz' van.  
  
End of part ten 


	11. Chapter Eleven

Part 11  
  
Spike's Mansion  
Sunday 9 am  
  
"Having fun, are you?" Spike asked, as Angelus emerged from the room  
where he had Xander tied up.   
  
"Tons," Angelus replied with a smile. "Giles was fun, but this one's   
even more fun. He hated me already, so it's just more enjoyable."  
  
"Yeah, I can tell by the screams, you certainly didn't have any lack   
of inspiration for torture methods," Spike said. "Is it dead yet?"  
  
Angelus laughed, "Now that's the Spike I remember. That's what I   
taught you, after all. These humans, they aren't worth a second   
thought. If you get caught up in calling them by their names, you get   
distracted by what they really are. They're just toys for us to play   
with. No, by the way, it's still alive, but probably wishing it was   
dead by now."  
  
Angelus looked around then, with a frown on his face, "Where's Riley?"  
  
"How the hell should I know?" Spike muttered. "Turning him _was_ worth  
the expression on Buffy's face when she found out. But now I'm   
overcome by the incredible urge to kill him. So maybe he knows that   
and is staying clear of me."  
  
"Maybe, but I get the feeling you should be keeping a closer eye on   
him. It's always the quiet ones, the ones who seem to be completely   
loyal, that turn on you. I should know, shouldn't I?" Angelus said,   
looking at Spike pointedly.  
  
"When will you get off it, already, Angelus," Spike said with a sigh.  
"You were driving Drusilla mad. If I hadn't gotten us away--"  
  
"Oh, now it's time for _you_ to get off it, Will," Angelus said   
angrily. "You were jealous. You couldn't stand the fact that Drusilla   
preferred me to you. So, like the spoiled childe that you still are,   
you dragged her away kicking and screaming. Sent me to hell as a   
little treat for yourself.  
  
"But to get back to the real point, I don't think that Riley can be   
trusted. So I would prefer it if you would keep a closer eye on him.   
Or, if you can't be bothered to keep watch on your own childe, send   
one of the others to do it. And that's not a suggestion, that's an   
order. Got it?"  
  
"Fine," Spike said sullenly. "I'll send someone to keep an eye on the  
idiot. But I think you're being paranoid."  
  
"Maybe, but that's why I've been here for 250 years, Spike. I'm   
careful. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm sure I've neglected the kid   
for too long," Angelus grinned.  
  
Xander started as Angelus walked back in. *Shit. And I figured he'd  
gotten tired of this. So much for that theory.* he thought hopelessly.  
  
"So, where were we?" Angelus asked with a deceptively sweet   
smile. "Oh, yeah. I guess you've discovered my obsession with fire by   
now. Which goes right along with my obsession with the smell of   
burning flesh," he added, as he lit another match.   
  
Xander had blisters on his arms, chest and back, and by now he had   
almost convinced himself he didn't feel it when the burning match hit   
his flesh.  
  
Almost.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&  
Giles' Apartment  
Sunday, 9:15 am  
  
"So tell me already!" Buffy said, annoyed at the silence which   
followed every time she asked how Willow and Cordelia thought they   
could bring Angel back. They had returned to Giles' house, and Buffy   
was gathering all available weapons for the Xander and Wesley   
retrieval. Oz had left on a mysterious assignment from Willow, saying   
he would be back soon.  
  
"Would one of you spill already?" Buffy yelled.  
  
"Oh, fine I will," Cordelia said. "But only because Xander and Wesley  
need you like yesterday. If we can locate a Mohra demon, it's the key   
to bringing back Angel. It's blood has regenerative properties."  
  
"Okay, A: How the heck do you know this mohair--"  
  
"MOHRA!" Cordelia yelled.  
  
"Whatever," Buffy shrugged. "How would you know that it has   
regenerative properties, and B: Just because it has regenerative   
properties, that doesn't mean it would bring back Angel's soul."  
  
"I just know, Buffy. Why can't you just accept that someone, other   
than you, Giles, or Willow, could have a good idea?" Cordelia   
returned. "I do not have time to explain it all now. Please,"   
Cordelia pleaded.  
  
"It's worth a shot, isn't it?" Willow pressed.  
  
"Fine," Buffy said. "Giles, where am I going to find that....thing   
that Cordy said?"  
  
"Here's someone who might be able to help you with that," Oz said, as   
he walked through the door with Willy in front of him, pointing a   
crossbow at Willy's back.  
  
"Hey, Willy! Tell me where I can find a...." Buffy shook her head  
and looked expectantly at Willow, who filled in, "Mohra  
demon." Buffy smiled her thanks and said, "Yeah, one of those to kill.  
And don't waste my time, because I have friends being tortured and   
that tends to put me in a bad mood. And I think you know by now how   
dangerous that can be for you."  
  
"A Mohra demon? What do you want with one of those?" Willy asked  
curiously. "They're not too fun to be around---"  
  
"I have no qualms about hurting you badly," Buffy reminded him.  
  
"They live underground mostly. But that's nothing new, right? I think  
the only ones I know about have taken up residence in the huge crypt  
that's in the middle of the cemetery across from the library," Willy  
said.  
  
"And I kill it how?" Buffy asked, since Cordelia was no help on that  
detail.   
  
"It's got a jewel-thing in it's forehead," Willy answered.  
"Destroy that, it dies."  
  
"Oh," Buffy said in surprise. "That's easy enough. Okay, Oz. He can go  
now." As Willy ran off, Buffy said, "All right, but if this doesn't   
work, then...I don't want to think about that," she finished.  
  
"You have to, Buffy," Giles insisted. "You need to prepare yourself   
for the possibility that you either won't be able to track down a   
Mohra, or the blood won't do what Cordelia thinks it will. And if   
either of those things happen, you have to kill Angel. The question   
is, do you think you can?"  
  
"She will, I will, somebody will," Anya said, walking into the   
apartment slowly. Willow helped her to a chair, and Anya added, "I   
don't care who does it, as long as we get Xander out of there.   
  
If Xander is.....then I'll kill Angel myself. Believe me, I'm not too   
thrilled with him, as it is, for deciding to use me as breakfast. But   
if Xander dies, Angel is going to discover that even though I lost my   
amulet, I'm still very capable in the revenge department."  
  
"Willow, I'll need you with me when it's time to enter the mansion,"  
Buffy said. "I'm betting Tara will be there, and I'll need you to try   
to reverse, or at least weaken, the spell keeping me from attacking   
Spike. If Spike comes at me, and I can't stop him, well, we already   
know how that one ends. Oz, I'll need the backup, if you think you're   
feeling up to it?"  
  
"Sure, it's been a while since I've been part of a Sunnydale   
adventure. I've missed those," Oz said with a smile.  
  
"Sorry about the arrow in the ribs, by the way," Buffy said   
sheepishly.  
  
"No sorry needed. You were protecting Willow," Oz answered. "I   
wouldn't expect any less from you."  
  
"Okay, could we please get to the Xander saving now?" Anya said  
impatiently. "Cordelia and I left almost two hours ago, and I don't   
want to think about what Angelus is doing right now."  
  
"I'm going too!" Cordelia insisted.  
  
"Cordy, I don't think that's a good idea--" Buffy replied.  
  
"Oh, please. You have no idea of this, but Angel and I have been  
fighting demons for months now," Cordelia said. "Yes, that's right.  
Cordelia Chase fights demons, it's a shocker to me too. But I can   
always hold my own.   
  
"So don't play the big tough Slayer with me. You won't be able to   
kill him if it comes down to it, but I will. I promised him a long   
time ago, that if he ever went all 'Grr' again, I'd deal with  
it." She walked out of the door, oblivious to the shocked looks on   
every member of the Scooby Gang's faces.  
  
"Am I imagining things, or did Cordelia Chase actually grow up?" Anya   
asked.  
  
"Guess Angel managed to get through to her," Buffy said. "He has the  
tendency to bring out the good in people, when he has his soul," she  
added, as she followed Cordelia to the van.   
  
"Oh, that would be our cue," Willow said, and she Oz and Anya joined   
the others.  
  
End of Part 11 


	12. Chapter Twelve

Sunnydale Cemetery  
Sunday 9:30 am  
  
"Okay, so what's the plan?" Willow asked as they walked up to the   
crypt.  
  
"Uh, well, I guess kill a demon thing and make sure to get some blood  
too, while I'm at it. Right, Cordelia?" Buffy asked. "Although, how   
much blood. I mean, is it enough to do some cutting and get it on my   
knife, and I can _so_ not believe I'm talking about this," she   
wrinkled her nose in disgust.  
  
Cordelia said, "It didn't take much blood last....I read, yeah. I read  
all about it. You know, there's all those books in Angel's office,   
and I was bored one day and I read one of them, and I found out all I   
need to know about Mohra demons."   
  
Cordelia looked over to see if Buffy was suspicious, but Buffy was   
preoccupied by her own thoughts. Cordelia still wondered why Buffy   
didn't remember the demon which had attacked her and Angel when she   
had visited Angel over Thanksgiving. *Well, maybe she kills so many   
of the things, that she probably just can't remember all of them.*  
  
Willow shook her head in amazement at Buffy's denseness. *Lucky for   
Cordelia that Buffy has way too much to worry about right now.   
Because if she had been paying attention, it would have just opened   
up a whole big can of worms and those worms are not something we need   
to be dealing with right now. Okay, Willow, shut up now. When you   
start babbling to yourself, you know you're in trouble.*  
  
"Why are we wasting our time?" Anya yelled. "While we're off on this  
wild demon-chase, to get something that may or may not work to bring  
back Angel--"  
  
"It will work!" Cordelia interrupted.  
  
"Whatever," Anya said. "But all I care about right now is that some   
evil vampire is probably hurting Xander. And I don't know why I'm   
arguing with you when I should just do something."  
  
Buffy grabbed Anya's arm before she ran off, "I _don't_ think so,   
Anya. The plan was kill the demon, get the blood, then we're going   
straight to the mansion to get Xander and Wesley. Stick to the plan."  
  
"You can't make me--" shove.  
  
"Wanna bet?" shove  
  
"Okay," Willow jumped in and pulled Buffy away, and Oz grabbed Anya.  
"Now of all the not-helpful things imaginable," Willow said, "this   
would be high on the list. Anya, we're going in there, and Buffy's   
going to kill a demon. Buffy, if the demon can't be found, I'm with   
Anya in insisting Xander being alive is more important than the demon   
blood. We go over to the mansion and we figure out another way to   
stop Angelus. Okay?"  
  
"Fine," Anya said with a huff of irritation.  
  
"Fine," Buffy said, "because there won't be a problem with plan A. Now  
if you'll excuse me, I have a moppet demon to kill."  
  
"MOHR...oh what's the use," Cordelia muttered as the gang followed   
Buffy into the crypt.  
  
  
&&&&&&&&&  
Spike's Mansion  
  
Spike hadn't heard Cordelia yelling in a while, so he went to check.  
"OH, Bloody Hell!" he yelled when he opened the door. "Where are   
they!" he demanded, grabbing Wesley and slamming him up against the   
wall.  
  
"Who?" Wesley replied.  
  
"Spike, do you always have to be so melo...DAMMIT!! HOW COULD YOU LET   
THIS HAPPEN?!" Angelus roared when he saw the females had escaped.  
  
"ME????" Spike said. "Oh, that's just bloody great. They didn't walk   
out the front door, if that's what you're implying. You're the one   
who wasn't paying attention...'No I want to torture someone. I   
haven't tortured anyone in years', you said. Well, that's fine,   
Angelus. But don't blame ME that the twits figured out how to get out   
while you were otherwise occupied."  
  
"Oh, yeah. I forgot. I was under the MISTAKEN impression that you were  
here to HELP me with this 'kill the slayer and her friends' idea.   
But I guess that was just too much to ask for, wasn't it?! In over a   
HUNDRED years, you have yet to do ANYTHING right, so why should you   
start now. Thanks to you, Buffy and the others are probably on their   
way over here. And I haven't even KILLED anyone yet!" Angelus growled   
and turned to leave the room.  
  
"What do you want me to do with him?" Spike asked, nodding to where he  
still had Wesley pinned against the wall.  
  
"I don't care," Angelus said. "I just brought him here to keep him   
from telling Rupert what was going on. Leave him, kill him, it   
doesn't really matter either way."  
  
Angelus walked out, and Spike shrugged. "He's right, you know. You're   
no fun to kill, because nobody would even notice if you were dead." He  
dropped Wesley with a smile at Wesley's hurt reaction and walked  
out of the room.  
  
&&&&&&&&  
Sunnydale Cemetery.  
  
Buffy and Oz went into the crypt first. A Mohra demon jumped out at  
them, and Buffy slammed her stake into its forehead jewel. In a flash   
of light, it vanished into thin air.  
  
"Oops," Buffy said, surprised.  
  
"Buffy!" Cordelia yelled. "Blood, remember? Blood to help Angel. Geez,  
when did you become more of a blonde than you used to be?!"  
  
"Sorry!" Buffy said. "I didn't know it was going to go poof. Willy  
didn't say it would go poof. How is it my fault that it went--"  
  
"Buffy, keep to the poi--AAAH!" Willow was the last into the crypt,   
and another Mohra demon entered after her. It threw her across the   
room and she fell to the floor unconscious.  
  
"Hey!" Buffy yelled. "You hurt my friend!"  
  
{You hurt my boyfriend!}  
  
"What????" Buffy looked at Anya and Cordy, a puzzled look on her   
face.  
  
"What, 'what'???" Cordelia returned the puzzled look. "Buffy! Look   
ou....or maybe we should run," she said to Anya when Buffy got thrown   
across the room as well.  
  
"No," Buffy said, getting up slowly. "I just thought I heard   
something. I'm better now, and ready to kill this thing. This is my   
axe--" she said, producing her axe, "And this is me getting demon   
blood."  
  
She ran at the demon and swung her axe, but it met the attack with its  
sword. Buffy held her own for a few minutes, but then it grabbed her  
axe, taking her by surprise. It threw the axe across the room, and she  
yelled, "Hey! That's mine, you big, ugly, jeweled thing!"  
  
"That'll help, kill it with your wit," Cordelia said sarcastically.  
  
"Shut UP, Cordelia!" Buffy retorted, ducking the demon's sword.  
  
"Hey!" Oz yelled, and shot an arrow into the demon's shoulder with a   
crossbow. Anya threw Buffy a sword as the demon turned on Oz with a   
roar of anger.  
  
"My turn!" Buffy replied, catching the sword and jabbing it into the  
Mohra demon's back. "Eew, green blood," she remarked with a wrinkle of  
her nose, watching as the green stuff ended up on the sword blade. The  
demon turned back to her with another roar, and she slammed the sword  
into its forehead jewel.  
  
"I love tag-team slaying," Buffy grinned as the demon disappeared. Oz  
was already at Willow's side by then, and Buffy remembered. "Oh, God,  
Willow!" she ran over to her.  
  
"Just a bump on the head," Oz said. "I think she's okay." He lifted  
Willow in his arms, adding, "Even if she does wake up in time, though,  
she's not strong enough for the magic stuff, Buffy."  
  
"Hey, I don't think that's true," Willow argued. "Put me down," she   
demanded, opening her eyes. Oz complied, lowering her to her feet.   
She stood, still holding on to Oz for support. "I am too strong   
enough to do this," she protested to Oz. "It's not every day I can   
actually do something important to help Buffy, and if she needs me--"  
  
"I do," Buffy interrupted. "But not at the cost of your health," she  
said with concern. "I don't want you to get hurt--"  
  
"Hello!" Anya said irritated. "Can we do the gaggingly sweet bonding  
_after_ we get my boyfriend safely out of the clutches of the   
psychotic vampire?"  
  
"Yeah," Buffy said. "I'm ready. Guys?"  
  
"Ready," Willow replied, and she and Oz followed the others out of the  
crypt.  
  
  
&&&&&&&  
Spike's Mansion  
10 am  
  
"Spike?" a male vampire ran into the house, throwing off the coat it   
had used to shield itself from the sun. He found Spike lounging on the  
couch. "I followed Riley like you asked--"  
  
"Yeah, what is it?" Spike said boredly.  
  
"Well, he was in the tunnels underground. And he met up with..." the  
vampire trailed off, looking away nervously.  
  
"With who?" Spike asked sitting up.  
  
"With..."  
  
"Finish the sentence," Spike snarled.  
  
"Adam."  
&&&&&&&&  
End of Part 12 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

&&&&&&&&  
Spike's Mansion  
  
The enraged Spike leaped up from his sitting position, at the mention   
of the monster's name. "What?????!" he roared. The other vampire   
cowered, backing away.  
  
"Where is he now?!" Spike demanded.  
  
"Who?" the vamp asked timidly.  
  
"My soon to be tortured childe!!!" Spike yelled.  
  
"I left one of the others to watch him. I figured you and Angelus   
would want to be warned first--"  
  
"I think you must have two volumes, Spike," Tara said as she entered   
the house. "Loud and Louder," she finished, grinning at her joke. Her   
smile dissipated when Spike leapt at her. She reacted with a wave   
of her hand though, and Spike went colliding into the far wall,   
smashing a table as he went down.  
  
Angelus walked out of the other room, muttering, "What is it with you  
today, Spike?" He saw Tara and one of his minions. "What is it?" he  
asked the minion.  
  
"Ask him," the vampire pointed to Spike. When Angelus turned to face  
Spike, the minion ducked out again.  
  
"Her brother--" Spike pointed at Tara angrily as he got up, "is  
double-crossing us with that Adam-thing."  
  
"Really," Angelus said quietly. "Now that was just a big mistake,   
wasn't it," he remarked, turning on Tara.  
  
"Hey, don't blame me for what Riley does," Tara replied   
nervously. "He's an idiot of his own making."  
  
"Somehow, I just don't think so, Witch," Angelus replied angrily,  
approaching her menacingly. Tara raised her hand, but froze when he  
warned, "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Tara," with a deceptive  
smile. "You'll just make it harder on yourself in the long run. You   
may be strong, but you can't always be ready for me. I can wait as   
long as it takes to catch you asleep, or just not paying attention.   
But I will kill you, don't doubt that."  
  
Tara dropped her hand, and said, "I _don't_ doubt that, Angelus. But I  
_didn't_ have anything to do with what Riley has planned. You have to  
believe me," she pleaded.  
  
"Do something for me," Angelus replied, stopping inches in front of   
her.  
  
"Hey, sis," Riley said, oblivious to the tension in the air.   
  
"You bloody idiot!" Spike yelled, running at him. He was unable to   
get close to Riley, though, and he snarled, "Magic! You've really got   
to do something about her, Angelus!"  
  
"What's got you so pissed?" Riley asked Spike dumbly.  
  
"I swear, you will be begging for death when I get my hands on you!"  
Spike yelled back.  
  
"Stop!" Angelus interjected. At Spike's look of surprise, he   
continued, "I was just about to ask Tara to do something for me.   
Then, I'll deal with your traitorous childe." He turned back to Tara   
and approached her slowly.  
  
"What do you want?" Tara asked suspiciously.  
  
"Remove whatever protection spell you have on your brother," Angelus  
replied with a smile.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You heard me. He's betrayed me, he has to die. Do this, and I will  
believe you when you tell me you weren't working with him to betray   
me," Angelus said.  
  
"I can't," she whispered. "You can't ask me to--"  
  
Angelus backhanded her, growling "DO IT, NOW! I'll probably kill you  
anyway, but if you do as I say, I'll make it a less painful  
death."  
  
Tara took a deep breath, and muttered a few words in Latin. "It's   
done." She looked to her brother, who was looking at her in shock,   
and said, "I'm sorry, Riley. But I told you not to do this. Whatever   
happens now, it's nobody's fault but your own."  
  
"Exactly," Angelus agreed and approached Riley slowly. "Spike, I'll  
deal with him," he said.  
  
"I don't suppose that's really up for debate," Spike sighed   
regretfully.  
  
"Good guess," Angelus answered with a smile.  
  
"Well, then....first, I think the witch here," Spike grabbed Tara by   
the arms, "needs to be secured. We don't want her going anywhere, do   
we?"   
  
Still holding her by the arms, he circled behind her, and looked over   
at Angelus questioningly, "On second thought, I don't think we really   
want her at all. What do you say, Angelus? Come on, Mate, I'm   
hungry," he cajoled, in full game face now.  
  
"Fine," Angelus shrugged. "I got everything out of her that I wanted.  
And I suppose I have had all the fun so far."  
  
"What?" Tara looked behind her at Spike and shrieked, "Wait, Angelus,   
I can still be useful to you. I--" her words died out as Spike sank   
his fangs into her neck, unaffected by her struggling.   
  
"Leave her alone!" Riley yelled, but Angelus punched him in the face   
sending him sprawling.   
  
When Spike had drained Tara, he dropped her unceremoniously. "Now,   
let me get a good seat for the viewing of the Riley beating,"  
he said, and went over to the couch.  
  
"Spike?" Riley pleaded, trying to stay out of Angelus' reach.  
  
"Don't 'Spike' me, you idiot," Spike replied. "You're the one who went  
and tried to betray us with that Adam thing. You so deserve what you  
get."  
  
&&&&&&&&&  
Outside the Mansion  
  
"Okay, guys. Oz and I will take on the vamps--" Buffy said.  
  
"And me!" Cordelia insisted.  
  
"Fine," Buffy rolled her eyes. "But I can't protect you, Cordelia.  
Angelus is one of the strongest vampires I've ever had to deal with,   
and all I'll be able to do is keep myself alive.   
  
"That goes for all of you. Especially since Spike attacked me last   
night, it left me weak. Therefore I'm giving any of you who wants it   
the chance to go home. I won't blame you."  
  
"We're not going anywhere, Buffy," Willow replied firmly, and the   
others nodded their agreement.  
  
"All right...Cordelia, I really hope this blood stuff does what you  
think it will."  
  
"Oh, it will, Buffy, just make sure it mixes with Angelus' blood, and   
I think you'll be surprised at how well it works," Cordelia answered   
with a smile.  
  
"Oh, good. You didn't start without me," Giles said walking up.  
  
"Giles! What are you doing here?" Buffy asked, surprised.  
  
"I'm not completely old and decrepit yet, Buffy," Giles answered  
irritably.  
  
"That wasn't what I was even trying to imply," Buffy said. "I just  
thought, considering your last run-in with Angelus, you wouldn't be  
caught within a ten mile radius of here."  
  
"Actually, it's precisely because I know what Angelus is capable of   
that I'm here, Buffy. Hopefully we're in time to save Xander, and if   
we are, I want to do everything to help."  
  
"Okay, speaking of Xander, can we go already?" Anya said.  
  
"Yes, Anya," Buffy said. "Oz, Giles, me and Cordelia will keep Spike   
and Angelus occupied, while you find Xander and Wesley. Willow will   
stay out of harm's way as much as possible, providing any help in the   
magic department that she can. So, everybody have their weapons?"  
  
All held up their respective weapon of choice. Giles held up a duffel  
bag, saying, "And more if we need it."  
  
"Oh, and one more thing," Buffy said as they reached the door. "I'll  
deal with Angelus." She held up her hand to stop Giles' protest. "If   
it comes down to it, I'll stake him, Giles. I realize my role in   
life. The fate of the world rests on my shoulders, etc, etc."  
  
&&&&&&&&  
10:30 am  
  
Buffy was the first one inside the mansion, and she was taken aback to  
see Angelus and Riley fighting. She saw Spike sitting on the couch  
nearby, and he noticed her too. He smiled in his annoyingly cocky way,  
but didn't draw Angelus' attention to her. She looked over toward the  
kitchen and saw Tara lying in a heap on the floor, dead. She looked   
at Willow, who also had seen the other witch.   
  
Willow said, "I might still be needed."  
  
Buffy looked around, but didn't see any sign of Xander or Wesley. She  
looked at Anya, who nodded toward a door to their right. Buffy  
replied, "Wait until Spike and Angelus are occupied. Then go."   
  
Angelus noticed her then, and stopped his repeated punching of   
Riley's face, dropping the vampire to the ground. "Hello, Lover," he   
said to Buffy with a smile.  
  
"I'm not your lover," Buffy replied with a sigh. "But please. Don't   
stop on my account. If you want to beat Riley to a pulp, I'm not   
going to stop you."  
  
"He's so good at it too," Spike said appreciatively. "Warms a   
vampire's heart to see it."  
  
"Okay," Angelus said to Buffy. "You stay there, though. I'll get to   
you as soon as this one's taken care of." He leaned down to pull   
Riley to his feet. Riley punched out at him, getting a lucky shot in.   
His fist made contact near Angelus' left eye, and Angelus snarled.  
  
"You shouldn't have done that," Spike said. "You thought you were   
being hurt before, but you're about to find out what pain really is."  
  
Angelus looked to Spike expectantly, and Spike sighed, standing   
up. "If I wasn't enjoying this so much, I'd say get it yourself," he   
said, as he walked over to the kitchen, still keeping an eye on the   
Scooby Gang as he walked.  
  
*****  
Anya took advantage of that moment to hurry to the room on the right,  
and open the door. Finding Wesley, she ran over to him, untying his  
feet. "Where's Xander!" she demanded.  
  
Wesley said, "They have him in another room, I don't know which one.   
And I know he was still alive fifteen minutes ago."  
  
"How do you know that?" Anya questioned.  
  
"You don't really want to know how I know that, Anya," Wesley warned.  
  
The color drained from Anya's face at that. "Come on, I'm getting you  
out of here, then I'm getting Xander." She helped Wesley stand, and   
led him to the door. They both were greeted by the sight of Angelus,   
in full game face, fighting Riley, also in game face. Riley had two   
black eyes, and was obviously the loser in this game. Angelus did not   
appear to have been hurt in the least.  
  
******  
Spike emerged from the kitchen, tossing Angelus a stake.   
  
"I love the irony of this," Angelus said with a laugh. "What's more   
amusing than one vampire staking another?" He looked to Buffy, and   
she shrugged.   
  
"Yeah, it's hysterical," she said. "Get on with it, would you?"   
  
Angelus laughed again, and Riley ran toward the kitchen. Angelus   
threw the stake, which hit Riley in the center of his back, obviously   
missing his heart. Riley screamed, and the other two other vampires   
laughed at his pain.   
  
"That's gotta hurt," Spike commented.  
  
"Help me!" Riley pleaded with Spike, as he fell to his knees. He   
reached around, trying to pull the stake out.  
  
"Let's think about that for a second," Spike said. "...Okay, I've  
thought about it, and the answer's still no."  
  
Anya, meanwhile, had led Wesley over to where Cordelia and Oz were  
standing. She scanned the room, noticing another door, but this one  
was on the opposite side of the room from where Wesley been. This   
meant she would not only have to get past Angelus, but Spike as  
well to get to the room.   
  
She reached down to the duffel bag of weapons that Giles had  
brought, and found an axe. "Axes are good," she reassured herself, and  
inched toward the couch where Spike was sitting. She had to cross   
either in front of it, nearer Angelus, or behind it. She wasn't happy   
with the odds either way. Spike eyed her, mildly interested, and she   
said, "Just stay there, I don't care about you. I want Xander."  
  
"So I've heard," Spike replied with a disgusted grimace. "Although I  
can't bloody figure out why."  
  
"Ha ha. Now do I have to use this on you?" Anya challenged, raising   
the axe.  
  
"You probably wouldn't know what to do with it," Spike taunted,   
leering at her.  
  
"Maybe, but I definitely know how to use this," Anya replied. She   
pulled out a vial of holy water and calmly threw it on the vampire.   
  
"Bloody fuckin' hell, woman!" Spike roared, as he leapt out of her   
way.   
  
"I warned you to leave me alone," Anya said, shaking her head in  
exasperation. She walked to the far side of the room, and opened the  
door. She barely recognized Xander, as he looked up at her. He was   
covered in burns, bruises and cuts. His shirt was gone, probably so   
Angelus could have access to more flesh to torture him better.   
  
"Anya?" he looked at her blankly for a moment. "Is that you?"  
  
"Yeah, Baby, it's me," Anya ran over to him, fighting back the tears  
which threatened to come. She quickly untied his arms and legs from   
the chair, asking, "Xander, can you stand?"  
  
"Sure, I'm fine," Xander replied. Anya helped him stand, and his  
inability to support himself told a different story. "What are you   
doing alive?" he asked then, puzzled. "I saw him attack you--"  
  
"Having lived for over a thousand years, Xander, I'm a lot stronger   
than Angelus realized," Anya answered.  
  
"Oh. I'm glad. I thought he'd killed you, and I was ready to do the   
same to him. And now, after this morning, I'm so much more ready to   
kill him."  
  
"Come on, let's get you out of here. You might enjoy what's going on   
out there," Anya said with a smile.  
  
"What, Angelus' ass kicking?" Xander said hopefully.  
  
"No, Riley's ass kicking," she returned with a chuckle.  
  
"Ooh, Fish-Boy's getting beaten up? I gotta see this."  
  
Xander and Anya reached the door way to the outer room, just as   
Angelus reached Riley. "He's a vampire too," Anya explained.   
  
"Really. I'd say too bad for him, but that would just be a lie,"   
Xander replied.  
  
Angelus pulled the stake out of Riley's back, and Riley kicked out,  
tripping him. Angelus snarled and leapt up, grabbing Riley and  
throwing him against the wall. "It would be a really good idea," he  
said, reaching where Riley was, "if you would just take it--" kick  
"--like a vampire." He grabbed Riley and pinned him against the wall,  
headbutting him.  
  
*****  
  
On the other side of the room, Willow watched as Anya and Xander  
emerged. *Oh my Goddess, what did Angelus do to him? He looks like   
hell. I can't believe he's still alive. Oh, he's not going to be   
happy about Buffy's 'save Angel' plan.* As she saw the hatred in   
Xander's eyes when he looked at Angelus, Willow knew that her friend   
would not be at peace with anything less than Angelus' death.  
  
She looked over at Buffy then, who was watching Angelus beat up Riley.  
She was surprised at the lack of emotion that Buffy showed at watching  
her ex-boyfriend beat up her current boyfriend. She watched Buffy scan  
the room, and saw as her eyes fell on Xander and Anya. Buffy winced,   
and looked to Willow, an apologetic look on her face. Willow sighed,   
knowing that no matter what Angelus had done, Buffy wouldn't slay him   
if there was a chance she could bring Angel back instead.  
  
Willow saw that Spike was a danger to the two over on the opposite   
side of the room, and spoke an incantation quickly. At Oz'   
questioning look, she smiled, and said, "Nothing big. Just a little   
something to keep Spike from being a problem.....Hey!"  
  
She was tossed to one corner, and Buffy fell near her. Cordelia and Oz  
were knocked to an opposite corner; and Giles and Wesley were shoved   
to the center of the room, as ten vampires forced their way into the  
mansion.  
  
"Oh, good. I was wondering when the rest of the minions would get   
here," Spike said with a grin. "Now we're going to have some fun!"  
&&&&&&&&&  
End of part 13 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

The End (14/26)  
  
"What do you mean 'now'?" Angelus asked as he slammed his fist into  
Riley's face for the fiftieth time. "I've been having fun all along."  
  
Willow winced as she heard the bones in Riley's face break. *Even if  
Riley _is_ a vampire, this is getting too cruel* she thought. Angelus  
then grabbed the completely dazed Riley by the arm and dragged him to  
the door. "Out of my way, I need to take out the trash!" Angelus   
ordered with a smile. The vamps cleared the path of the door   
willingly, and Angel tossed the semi-conscious Riley out into the   
sunlight. Riley screamed and burst into flames, his short,   
unsuccessful career as a vampire over forever.  
  
"Okay, so Angelus is good for one thing before he goes away forever,"  
Xander admitted. When Anya didn't reply, he continued, "There is   
Angelus slayage on the menu today, isn't there?" When Anya still   
didn't answer, "Anya? Someone's going to stake him, or throw him in a   
pool of holy water, or behead him, or throw _him_ outside in the sun,   
right?"  
  
"That wasn't quite part of the plan," Anya admitted quietly.   
  
"WHAT??!"  
  
Anywa sighed, not really wanting to explain the bring-back-Angel-plan   
to the man who'd just spent two hours being tortured by him. "I'll   
explain after I kill Spike," she said, as she saw Spike notice them.  
  
Spike said, "I thought Angelus had killed you. Both of you, actually."  
He approached them menacingly, looking slightly more horrific than   
usual due to the burns on the right side of his face and neck caused   
by the holy water attack.  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you," Anya replied. She lifted her axe again in   
her right hand, and shoved Xander away, saying, "Lean on the wall."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Lean on the wall, Xander," Anya said patiently. "I can't hold you up  
and fight vampires at the same time."  
  
"Oh," he said slowly, and complied with her demand, leaning against   
the wall behind them.  
  
*******  
  
While Angelus was admiring his latest work, Buffy took advantage of   
that time to check on her friends. She smiled as she saw that Giles   
was definitely doing his part. Crossbow in hand, he shot two of the   
vampire minions through the heart as they came at him and Wesley. She   
breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that at least for now, the man she   
still considered her Watcher would be okay. *Two down, eight more to   
go. Not counting Spike and Angelus* Buffy thought.  
  
Buffy's attention was distracted by a shriek from Cordelia. She was  
struggling unsuccessfully against the hold of a burly male vampire.   
Just as Buffy was about to go to her assistance, though, Oz beat her   
to it. He walked over to the vampire, and tapped him on the shoulder   
quietly. The surprised vampire let go of Cordelia, turning. Cordelia   
ducked as Oz swung an axe, beheading the vampire.  
  
"Nice one--" Buffy remarked, but was interrupted by a yell of "Buffy,  
DUCK!" from Willow, Giles, Cordelia, Wesley and Xander. Buffy saw  
Angelus out of the corner of her eye and complied, narrowly missing   
her own beheading.  
  
Buffy rolled over onto her back to see Angelus standing over her with   
a sword of his own.   
  
"Now I'm going to kill you," he said.  
  
"Wasn't that the intention a second ago?" Buffy said with roll of her  
eyes, as she kicked out and knocked Angelus on his ass. "That was  
interesting work, though," she said, nodding out the front door to   
where Riley's remains were still burning. "Planning on doing anything   
similar to Adam?"  
  
"Planning on letting me live that long?" Angelus countered with a   
smile.  
  
"Nah," Buffy returned. "I just wish you'd taken care of both of them   
for me....oh well," she shrugged. "I'm over it now. Let's fight!" she   
said, jumping to her feet.  
  
Angelus jumped to his feet also. "Back off!" He yelled behind her,   
and Buffy looked to see five of his minions scatter. "The Slayer's   
mine," he said, never taking his eyes off Buffy," They backed off,   
knowing better than to defy Angelus.  
  
"I'm not your anything," Buffy retorted, swinging her sword, as she   
and Angelus began fighting.   
  
"Sure you are, Buffy," Angelus replied. "You can't tell me you   
actually prefer the souled version of me, can you?"  
  
"It's not you, it's Angel!" she yelled angrily.   
  
"No difference, Buffy dear. We're the same vampire. Besides, I can't   
believe you'd prefer him when he had the chance at a life with you   
and turned it down."  
  
"What?" Buffy muttered distractedly, trying to concentrate on not   
being cut in half by his sword. "You're talking old news, Angel's   
been gone for months," she said with a shake of her head.  
  
"That's" he paused to jump back as she lunged at him with her sword,  
"--not what I was talking about. For someone who said, 'I'll never  
forget', you certainly...well, forgot," Angelus grinned.  
  
"What?" it was almost a whisper. {"I'll never forget, I'll never   
forget, I'll never forget....."} "What the hell...?" she added, as a   
memory of something that couldn't have happened surfaced.  
  
In her momentary distraction, Angelus attacked, landing the blade of   
his sword across her right arm. "AAH!" Buffy yelled, but switched the  
sword to her good hand and went on the attack again.  
  
"Left-handed, I'm impressed," Angelus said.  
  
"Well, I _was_ training with the Initiative until they tried to kill  
me," Buffy shrugged. "I guess it paid off."  
  
*********  
  
Meanwhile, Willow had raided the weapons stash. "Mace?" she remarked  
with a grin, as she swung the medieval weapon experimentally. "Not   
very vampire-killable, but it would definitely hurt." She proved the   
point when another vampire charged her, catching her off-guard. She   
swung the mace, hitting him square in the face with it. He fell to   
his knees screaming, and she grabbed a stake out of the bag to shut   
him up.   
  
"I hate that part," she muttered as she brushed herself off. "The   
ashes just stick to you, and they won't wash out of your clothing for   
the longest time. And this was one of my favorite blouses!"  
  
She looked over at Spike to see if her spell really had worked, and  
smiled. She was proud of herself for finally succeding in a spell,   
not only in fact, but in timing as well.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&  
End part 14 


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**********  
Oz, sword still in hand, had moved toward Willow to help her, having  
beheaded three more vampires on the way. He then realized she could  
protect herself, chuckling at her inventive vampire removal technique.  
  
Oz looked to Cordelia, and saw that she had grabbed a couple of  
stakes out of the duffel bag and was going to Xander and Anya's  
assistance. He moved to help Giles and Wesley, since Buffy appeared   
to be handling Angelus for now.  
  
*******  
Anya had raised the axe, and Spike grabbed a nearby fireplace poker to  
defend/attack with. He swung it at her, and it bounced off the air a  
foot away. "BLOODY HELL!" Spike yelled, followed with "RED???" as he  
realized whose magic this was. He gave Willow a bewildered look.  
  
Willow giggled, and said, "I always wondered if that would work."  
  
"OW! Bloody hell, bitch!" Spike yelled, forced to redirect his   
attention back to Anya then. She hadn't been moved by the fact that   
Spike couldn't attack her, and had landed her axe blade in his left   
shoulder. She hadn't expected it to get stuck, though. She jumped   
back in surprise, still acting on the instinct to stay out of Spike's   
way. Spike grabbed the axe handle and pulled it out of his shoulder,   
letting out another yell of pain.  
  
Taking a look around, he decided his best bet was out the door. Most   
of Angelus minions were in various stages of dead, and he didn't much   
feel like joining them in that state.  
  
*******  
Two of the remaining three vampires, realizing that Xander was their  
best bet for food had moved toward him slowly while Anya was   
distracted with Spike. Xander was oblivious to them until they were   
inches away. His attention had been focused on Buffy, wishing that   
her sword would find its way into Angelus' heart.  
  
"OH, not more of you!" Xander yelled irritatedly as he finally noticed  
them. "I've already been tortured mercilessly by your leader, now what  
do _you_ want?"  
  
"Blood," one of them, the only woman, answered with a grin.  
  
Xander sighed, "I like my blood where it is, thank you very much. And   
I usually don't fight women...but I'll make an exception in your case,  
seeing as you're so ugly," he added as she showed her game face.  
  
"Xander, here!" Cordelia yelled, throwing him a stake. He caught it,   
but looked at her for a moment, in complete shock that she would help   
him. Cordelia was charged at by the male vampire at that moment   
though, and she surprised both him and Xander by fainting to the   
floor.   
  
"Cordy!" Xander yelled, this turn of events enough to bring him out   
of his daze. He staked the female vampire before she knew what hit   
her, and limped to help Cordelia. Cordelia, though, opened her eyes   
as the vampire knelt to bite her, and staked him through the   
heart. "Nobody had better tell _me_ I'm a bad actress ever again,"   
she muttered, as Xander helped her stand.  
  
*******  
Giles was occupied with the last remaining vampire minion. Having used  
all his arrows, he was fighting it with a combination of hand-to-hand  
combat and throwing things. Wesley, weak from being tied up for hours,  
was not able to do much other than stay out of the way. Giles blinked   
in surprise as the vampire vanished in a cloud of ash, but then   
smiled as he saw Oz.   
  
"Got tired of beheading them," Oz explained, holding up a stake.  
  
"Yes, well, I'm just glad you didn't get tired of killing them," Giles  
said gratefully. "I was running out of things to throw at that one,"   
he added with a chuckle.  
  
*******  
Spike had made his way along the wall to the front door, his only  
obstacle being Willow. He eyed her suspiciously, and she sighed,   
saying, "I can't let you out of here, Spike. You know that. Besides   
the fact that you tried to drink my blood that night, and then you   
did drink Buffy's last night---"  
  
"WHAT????!" Angelus yelled, having heard that last remark.  
  
"Now why the hell'd you have to mention that," Spike asked Willow,   
eyeing his Sire warily.  
  
Angelus kept his attention on Buffy, as he said to Spike, "I told you  
to stay away from the Slayer!" His anger seemed to fuel him, and Buffy  
had to fight twice as hard to meet his attacks. "I _told_ you that she  
was mine. But no, you _never_ listen to me. Well, I'll deal with you  
later, Spike."  
  
"Not if you can't catch me, you won't," Spike replied. He ran past  
Willow, pulling his duster up over his head.   
  
"Wha--" the surprised Willow looked around, but he'd managed to slip   
past her. "Oops," she said apologetically, "Forgot about the vampire   
speed. Oh, well. I guess it kind of wouldn't be Sunnydale without   
Spike."  
  
Angelus and Buffy were still fighting, and Angelus said, "Now  
where were we?"  
  
"Um, fighting?" Buffy replied, slashing at his chest with her sword.  
  
Angelus dodged the blow effortlessly, and said, "No, no. Oh, yeah. I   
was trying to figure out why you would want my soul back. When I have   
my soul, I get stupid. For instance, Thanksgiving."  
  
"If you've got something to say, just say it already!" Buffy yelled.   
She tried to keep from paying too much attention to his words. She   
knew that he was doing what Angelus did best, which was play   
mindgames. One part of her mind, though, was analyzing everything he   
said, despite her efforts not to. *Thanksgiving? What's so point-  
worthy about Thanksgiving* she wondered.  
  
"Oh, yeah. You don't remember," Angelus said with a grin.  
  
"BUFFY!!! STAB HIM!" Willow and Cordelia broke in, both realizing the  
game that Angelus was playing.  
  
Angelus chuckled. "But apparently, those two know what I'm talking  
about."   
  
Buffy looked to Willow, a puzzled look on her face. "Willow?  
What's--"  
  
"You don't remember being a 'normal girl falling asleep in the arms of  
her normal boyfriend'?" Angelus mocked, cruelly.  
  
Buffy whirled to face him, a blank look on her face.  
  
{In L.A. In Angel's apartment, in his bed.   
"I wanna stay awake so this day can keep going."   
"Sleep. We'll make another one like it tomorrow."   
"Angel, this is the first time i've ever really felt this  
way."   
"What way?"   
"Just like I always wanted to. Like a normal girl, falling asleep in   
the arms of her normal boyfriend. It's perfect."}  
  
"No." Buffy said, her voice a whisper, her face a study in grief. She  
was trying to sort through the images in her head. *Things that   
couldn't have happened. They didn't* she tried to convince herself.   
  
She lowered her sword distractedly, and Angelus took advantage of   
that moment to kick her feet out from under her.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&  
end of 15 


	16. Chapter Sixteen

&&&&&&&&  
Buffy fell to the ground, and the sword smeared with the Mohra blood  
went flying across the room. "NO!" she yelled.   
  
Angelus laughed cruelly, and dropped to his knees next to her. "Now,   
now, Buffy," he said as he leaned down over her. "It will all be over   
soon. You'll never feel any pain again. So, I'm really doing you a   
favor."  
  
Neither Buffy or Willow had noticed as Xander had moved closer to   
Buffy and Angelus. The others hadn't made a move to stop him either,   
too fascinated by the scene unfolding as Buffy and Angelus fought.   
  
"No, I am," he whispered from behind Angelus then, and raised the   
stake to finish Angelus.   
  
Buffy screamed again, "NO!"  
  
Willow's voice joined with hers, as she summoned all her powers  
desperately. "STOP!" she yelled, squeezing her eyes shut with the   
force of her concentration. Everything was silent. She dared to open   
her eyes, and laughed nervously. "It worked!" she said, amazed that   
she'd managed this. Everyone except for her was frozen in place. The   
stake in Xander's hand was just an inch from Angelus' back, and if   
Willow had waited another second, Angelus would now be a pile of ash.  
  
Willow knew she didn't have much time, these spells usually only   
lasted for a matter of seconds. She sighed, and walked over to pick   
up the sword first. "Cordelia, I sure hope you know what you're   
talking about with this," Willow said. "I don't like keeping what   
happened that day from Buffy, but maybe she's remembering anyway, no   
thanks to Angelus," She scowled at the vampire leaning over her   
friend.  
  
She walked back to the three. First, she took the stake out of   
Xander's hand. "I'm sorry, Xander," she said, wanting to reach out  
and touch him, comfort him, but knowing if she did it would break the  
effects of the spell on him. She shook her head, sadly, "I know you   
hate him, but Buffy doesn't. Not even when he's like this. And she'd   
never forgive you if you destroyed him. I just hope you can forgive   
me for doing this...."  
  
She knelt beside Buffy, and touched her shoulder, breaking the spell   
for her. "Huh?" Buffy started, and Willow calmed her saying, "Spell,   
Buffy. I stopped everything." She helped Buffy slide out from where   
she'd been pinned by Angelus and handed Buffy the sword.  
  
"Xander had a--"  
  
"Not anymore," Willow interrupted, holding up the stake.  
  
"Willow, this is incredible! You froze us, everything!" Buffy   
exclaimed with an amazed look around. "For how long?" she asked.  
  
"About..." looking down at her watch, "one more minute," Willow  
answered.  
  
"Willow, what happened?" Buffy asked then. "What am I...remembering?   
Is it real? It can't be..." she looked to Willow, a pleading look on   
her face.  
  
"I can't, Buffy. Ask Angel when you bring him back," Willow answered  
sadly.  
  
"But--"  
  
"It's not my place, there isn't enough time anyway. Just concentrate   
on doing this, fast. Right when he comes out of it."  
  
Buffy nodded, looking down at the sword in her hand.  
  
"Oh, and this might help, too," Willow added, pulling Angelus' sword  
from his grip.   
  
Buffy smiled, "Yeah. Guess that's the added advantage I need."  
  
"It's wearing off now," Willow said, and backed away. Buffy watched as  
everyone unfroze. Xander followed through with what he thought was the  
stake, but as he realized it was gone, he stumbled back in   
shock. "What the hell?" he yelled, looking around in confusion.  
  
Angelus snarled as he realized that Buffy was no longer pinned under  
him, and then added a "What the hell?" of his own when the sword he  
raised wasn't there either. He jumped to his feet and looked at   
Buffy.   
  
Buffy said, "Please come back to me," as she stabbed him in the side   
with her sword. As she pulled it out he fell to his knees, looking at   
her in disbelief.  
  
Suddnely, there was a flash of light. Angelus' eyes changed, from the  
cold, cruel eyes empty of any emotion that had looked at Buffy a   
moment earlier, to the warm, loving eyes that still held her heart   
captive.   
  
"Angel?" she asked, still not sure of what had happened.   
  
"Buffy?" he said, looking around, a confused look on his face. "What?   
I..." he was disoriented for a moment, before he remembered the   
events of the last few nights. She saw the pain enter his eyes, and   
her heart broke for him, as he moaned, "Oh, God, no!" and buried his   
face in his hands.  
  
"Angel, it's okay," Buffy approached him slowly, holding back her own   
tears. "Everyone's all right. You're all right. That's all that   
matters...Noo!" she wailed then, as another barrage of images burst   
into her head.  
  
{She and Angel in a silo of some sort. He was hurt, and she was   
holding him in her arms. "Don't talk. You're all right that's all   
that matters. You're all right and we're together."}  
  
Angel didn't notice though. He saw Cordelia, and said, "Cordelia, I   
have to get out of here," his eyes pleading.  
  
"It's okay, Angel," Cordelia said soothingly, as she walked over and  
knelt next to him. When she touched his arm, she knew why he didn't   
want Buffy near him. His skin was warm, meaning one thing. The Mohra   
blood had worked, all right. It hadn't just given him back his soul,   
though, it had returned his humanity. Again.  
  
  
&&&&&&&&&  
End of Part 16 


	17. Chapter Seventeen

&&&&&&&&  
Sunnydale  
Spike's Mansion  
11:30 am  
  
Buffy watched, speechless, as Cordelia took on a mother-hen quality   
none of the Scoobies had ever seen. Cordy said to Angel, "Wesley and   
I will take you somewhere else, Angel, it's okay. This place probably   
isn't where you want to be right now, and believe me that everyone   
shares that sentiment. But we're not going back to L.A."   
  
Raising a warning hand to stifle his protests, she added, "Not with   
unfinished business, Angel. And you know better than to argue with me   
when my mind is made up."  
  
Xander's humorless laugh drew everyone's attention. "This is just too  
rich. Yet again, everyone falls all over themselves out of sympathy   
for Dead-Boy. And I think I just might vomit if I have to watch any   
more. I've gotta get out of here," he muttered and limped to the   
doorway.  
  
Angel looked up at him, and winced, remembering everything he had done  
to cause Xander's current physical state.   
  
Anya caught up with Xander and put his arm around her shoulders,   
saying, "Come on. I'll take you home."  
  
"Xander?" Willow blocked them at the door. Her eyes pled with him to   
understand.   
  
"You did that, didn't you," he said softly, reading the look on her  
face. When she hung her head guiltily, he sighed, "I never thought the  
day would come Wills, when you'd choose a demon over your best   
friend." He pushed past her and walked out the door, leaning on Anya   
for support.  
  
Willow went to stop him, "Wait, Xander, that's not true!"  
  
Oz had been standing nearby, and he grabbed her by the arm. "Willow,  
listen to me. You need to let him go. He just needs time."  
  
"But--"  
  
"Trust me, Baby. It'll be okay. He needs to be mad for a while. It   
will work out, though," he said gently, brushing the tears from her   
face.  
  
"I hope you're right," Willow said, and fell into Oz' arms, letting   
him comfort her.  
  
*********  
Wesley had slowly approached Angel, still wary. "We can go to the   
hotel down the street for a while. I know Cordelia's probably tired,   
and I'm exhausted. We all need some time to recover."  
  
"Good plan, Wesley," Cordelia nodded. Then she remembered the stab  
wound, and said, "Angel? How's the wound?"  
  
"It's fine," Angel said. "Healed actually," he said, looking at her  
pointedly.   
  
"Don't lecture," Cordelia muttered. "Not yet anyway." She helped him   
stand, and the three walked to the door past the completely shocked   
Slayer, who was so lost in her own thoughts, she barely registered   
anyone's presence.  
  
"Oh, um..." Cordelia stopped suddenly, realizing that she knew Angel  
could go outside. Willow had or probably would figure it out. But she   
realized Angel didn't want Buffy to know, for some reason. Just one   
of many things she planned to give him a piece of her mind   
about. "Spike's car," Angel said. "I'm sure the keys are still in the   
kitchen."  
  
Wesley ran to the kitchen, and came back with the keys and Angel's   
coat. Angel smiled his gratitude, threw the coat over himself and   
preceded the two to the car.  
  
"Buffy?" Giles said, walking up to the girl. "Huh?" she said, shaking  
her head to clear it. "Where's--"  
  
"Not gone yet," Giles assured her. "You'll have time to talk to him  
later. Right now, why don't we get you to the hospital to look at that  
nasty gash on your arm."  
  
Buffy looked down at her right arm, surprised that she had forgotten   
all about it. "I guess so," she shrugged.   
  
"I know so," Giles insisted, and she Giles and Oz left the mansion.  
  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&  
Giles' house  
1 pm  
  
"I'm telling you, Giles, they're either memories or visions. If  
they're memories, I don't know what they're coming from. But they   
almost got me killed!" Buffy insisted. She Giles, Willow, and Oz had   
returned to Giles' house, after the doctor had stitched and bandaged   
the the cut on Buffy's arm.  
  
Giles sighed tiredly, "I'm not doubting you, Buffy. I just agree with  
Willow that you need to talk to Angel about this. If he can't offer   
any help, Willow and I will do some research."  
  
"Talk to him?!" Buffy yelled. "He wouldn't even look at me. He didn't  
want _my_ help, he wanted Cordelia's!"  
  
"Buffy, we've been through this before," Willow replied. "He's in  
torment over what just happened, and most of what he did was directed   
at you in some way. So it's just his guilt making him avoid you.   
Cordy and he have obviously gotten very close, and she's less   
threatening to him--"  
  
"What do you mean--"  
  
"I mean," Willow interrupted Buffy's interruption, "they're friends.  
That's all they are, there's no confusing baggage that goes along with  
them. You and he, though, I think you two hold the title for the most  
baggage ever in a relationship. That's all I'm saying. It's just  
easier for him to turn to Cordelia right now."  
  
"I'm sorry, Willow," Buffy apologized, calming down. "This day's just  
been...well, I don't need to tell you guys. You were there too.....Do  
you think Xander's going to be okay?" she asked with concern.  
  
Willow sighed, "Well, he isn't answering his phone. Anya is, and she   
has told me all ten times that I called that he, and this is a quote,  
'didn't want anything to do with the slayer or the other members of   
the scoobies, and if he ever saw angel, he'd stake him.' So yeah,   
he's doing great."  
  
"I'm so sorry, Will," Buffy said. "I mean, I'm grateful that you saved  
Angel's life, but I'm sorry that Xander got hurt. I'm sorry that   
Angelus did what he did to him. It's really my fault. He did it in a   
roundabout way to get to me. I think his logic was probably something   
to the effect of hurt Xander to get to you to get to me."  
  
"The funny thing is, Buffy, I actually did it to help all of us.   
Things have not been the way they should be with the three of us,"   
Willow said. "So I saved Angelus, because I knew that if Xander   
killed him, you and Xander's friendship would be over. But I guess I   
didn't realize that Xander would take it as an Angelus or him   
decision."  
  
"Hopefully Oz is right, and he just needs time," Buffy said. "And  
you're right about the fact that things haven't been right lately,  
Willow. And if anyone's to blame for that, it's me. I owe you, and  
Giles," looking to Giles, "and Xander a mega-apology.   
  
"I should never have kept what I knew about the Initiative from you   
guys for so long. I should never have gone to work with them, either,   
not when I knew what they were doing to the demons. I mean, my   
calling as a Slayer isn't to torture the things and leave them   
helpless. Sure I kill them, but I do it relatively quickly.   
  
"And I shouldn't have let Riley get in the way of our friendships.   
You and Giles and Xander have always been there for me, even when   
I've treated you guys like dirt. Riley was just....oh, I don't  
even know what Riley was. Temporary insanity?   
  
"I guess what I'm asking, is if you two could ever forgive me?"  
  
"I forgave you a long time ago, Buffy," Willow said, and the two  
hugged. "Temporary insanity is allowed, but only once in a lifetime,  
okay?"  
  
"Fair enough," Buffy answered with a smile. "Giles?"  
  
"Of course you're forgiven, Buffy," he said with a smile.  
  
"Good, I feel almost much better. I'll feel much better when   
everthing's worked out with Xander, though. Right now, though, I have   
someone else I need to visit," Buffy said.  
  
End 17 


	18. Chapter Eighteen

&&&&&&&  
Sunnydale  
12 pm  
  
Cordelia, Wesley and Angel stole Spike's car and drove to the nearest hotel. "I want to go   
back to L.A.," Angel sighed as he sat on the bed.  
  
"No," Cordelia said as she and Wesley followed him into the room. "I know, this is a huge   
mess, Angel, but I'm not letting you run away and hide."   
  
"I'm not..." Angel shook his head and looked away. He was too tired to argue. He knew   
Cordelia was right, though. So much had happened. He was human again? He wasn't sure he   
wanted to tell Buffy that, but he knew he should stick around a little while, in case she needed to talk about the other things that had happened. "Fine."  
  
"Really?" Cordelia peered at him suspiciously.  
  
"Don't have a choice, do I?" he asked, looking up at her again.   
  
Wesley turned and walked out of the hotel. "Wes, wait!" Angel called after him, but the   
other man didn't stop. "Damn it," Angel sighed.   
  
"Just give him some time, Angel," Cordelia suggested. "He'll be okay."   
  
"Maybe. Better than..." Angel stopped that train of thought. He wasn't ready to think about   
what he'd done to Xander.   
  
"Yeah," Cordelia sighed as she moved to sit next to him. "Look, Angel, nothing that happened   
back there was your fault. There were way too many things going on that The Powers didn't   
bother to warn us about. That Tara girl, Spike, Riley...somedays I don't think they give us   
half enough info to be able to do what they wanted, you know?"   
  
Angel nodded. He felt that way, too, most days.   
  
"Are you angry with me?" she asked then. "I mean, I'd understand if you were, I kind of   
helped cause a major complication for you. But I didn't mean for all this to happen."  
  
Angel sighed. "I'm not mad at you, Cordy," he assured her. "I know you didn't expect this   
result, I wouldn't have expected it either. I just wish...." he trailed off.   
  
"Yeah," Cordelia said. "Me too." She looked at him, a worried expression on her face. "Is   
there anything I can do?"   
  
"I think I just need to be alone for a while," Angel replied. "I hate to ask you--"   
  
"Don't worry about it," Cordelia smiled. "I understand. You're still playing vampire, until   
you decide what you're going to do. So I'll go take a walk. Maybe find Wesley and see if he   
needs anything. If you're sure you'll be okay..."   
  
"I'll be fine," Angel replied. "Thank you, Cordelia. For everything. You really went beyond   
the call of duty in helping Buffy bring me back."  
  
"It wasn't just duty," Cordelia said. "I told you once that if you went all 'grrr' I'd stake   
you. And I would have, if there hadn't been another option. But you're not just my boss   
anymore, you're my friend. So when I thought of the Mohra blood, I knew it was a long shot;   
but I felt like I had to try."  
  
"I...thank you," Angel said again. "That means a lot, and I think of you as a friend too."   
  
"Well, I should think so, after all the things I've done for you," she teased. She was glad   
when she got a small smile out of him. "Okay, well I'm outta here for a while. Just do me a   
favor and don't brood too much, okay?"   
  
Angel rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I promise."   
  
"That'll last for all of five minutes," Cordelia said, "but I appreciate the attempt anyway.   
I'll be back later."   
  
Angel laid down after she'd left, staring at the ceiling. The same question repeated in his   
head: 'Now what?' Try as he might, he couldn't seem to come up with an answer.   
  
While he was trying to sort this out, there was a knock on his door. *Cordelia or Wesley* he   
thought. "Come in!" he called, not moving.   
  
"Okay," Buffy said as she walked in. "We need to talk."   
  
"I suppose we do," Angel nodded, sitting up. "Come on in."   
  
She nodded and shut the door behind her, moving to a chair. They stared at each other   
for a long while before either one spoke. Neither one could figure out where to even   
begin.   
  
*************  
End part 18 


	19. Chapter Nineteen

&&&&&&&  
Sunnydale  
12 pm  
  
Cordelia, Wesley and Angel stole Spike's car and drove to the nearest hotel. "I want to go back to L.A.," Angel sighed as he sat on the bed.  
  
"No," Cordelia said as she and Wesley followed him into the room. "I know, this is a huge mess, Angel, but I'm not letting you run away and hide."   
  
"I'm not..." Angel shook his head and looked away. He was too tired to argue. He knew Cordelia was right, though. So much had happened. He was human again? He wasn't sure he wanted to tell Buffy that, but he knew he should stick around a little while, in case she needed to talk about the other things that had happened. "Fine."  
  
"Really?" Cordelia peered at him suspiciously.  
  
"Don't have a choice, do I?" he asked, looking up at her again.   
  
Wesley turned and walked out of the hotel. "Wes, wait!" Angel called after him, but the other man didn't stop. "Damn it," Angel sighed.   
  
"Just give him some time, Angel," Cordelia suggested. "He'll be okay."   
  
"Maybe. Better than..." Angel stopped that train of thought. He wasn't ready to think about what he'd done to Xander.   
  
"Yeah," Cordelia sighed as she moved to sit next to him. "Look, Angel, nothing that happened back there was your fault. There were way too many things going on that The Powers didn't bother to warn us about. That Tara girl, Spike, Riley...somedays I don't think they give us half enough info to be able to do what they want, you know?"   
  
Angel nodded. He felt that way, too, most days.   
  
"Are you angry with me?" she asked then. "I mean, I'd understand if you were, I kind of helped cause a major complication for you. But I didn't mean for all this to happen."  
  
Angel sighed. "I'm not mad at you, Cordy," he assured her. "I know you didn't expect this result, I wouldn't have expected it either. I just wish...." he trailed off.   
  
"Yeah," Cordelia said. "Me too." She looked at him, a worried expression on her face. "Is there anything I can do?"   
  
"I think I just need to be alone for a while," Angel replied. "I hate to ask you--"   
  
"Don't worry about it," Cordelia smiled. "I understand. You're still playing vampire, until you decide what you're going to do. So I'll go take a walk. Maybe find Wesley and see if he needs anything. If you're sure you'll be okay..."   
  
"I'll be fine," Angel replied. "Thank you, Cordelia. For everything. You really went beyond the call of duty in helping Buffy bring me back."  
  
"It wasn't just duty," Cordelia said. "I told you once that if you went all 'grrr' I'd stake you. And I would have, if there hadn't been another option. But you're not just my boss anymore, you're my friend. So when I thought of the Mohra blood, I knew it was a long shot; but I felt like I had to try."  
  
"I...thank you," Angel said again. "That means a lot, and I think of you as a friend too."   
  
"Well, I should think so, the things I do for you," she teased. She was glad when she got a small smile out of him. "Okay, well I'm outta here for a while. Just do me a favor and don't brood too much, okay?"   
  
Angel rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I promise."   
  
"That'll last for all of five minutes," Cordelia said, "but I appreciate the attempt anyway. I'll be back later."   
  
Angel laid down after she'd left, staring at the ceiling. The same question repeated in his head: 'Now what?' Try as he might, he couldn't seem to come up with an answer.   
  
*************  
End part 18 


	20. Chapter Twenty

&&&&&&&  
Sunnydale  
1 pm  
  
"Oh my God," Cordelia whispered, not believing her eyes. "Doyle? Is   
that really you?" she asked, as the tears filled her eyes.  
  
"Hey, now. Don't cry, Princess," Doyle said, alarmed. He stepped   
toward her slowly, wanting to hold her but afraid of her reaction.   
  
"If you don't hug me right now I think I'm going to scream," Cordelia   
warned, silencing his fears. He chuckled and complied, pulling her   
into his arms.   
  
"I can't believe you're alive," Cordelia said wonderingly.  
  
"I can't believe you're alive," she repeated and pulled away, hitting  
him.  
  
"Hey!" Doyle exclaimed, shocked at the change in mood.  
  
"You're _alive_??? You let me, let _us_ grieve for you for months? You  
let us think you were dead????" she continued, getting angrier by the  
minute.  
  
"Hold on just a minute, Cordelia, let me explain," Doyle protested.  
  
Cordelia laughed, "He wants to explain. This should be good," she   
said, sittingt down. She was shaking so hard she probably wouldn't be  
able to stand for long. She noticed the red-headed girl standing off   
to the side, then. "Who's that?" she asked Doyle curiously.  
  
"That's Charlie, my sister," Doyle answered with a grin.  
  
"Doyle!" the girl said, irritated.  
  
"Sorry, I meant to say Charlotte. Old habits die hard, Kid," he said   
to her, his eyes twinkling with laughter. She merely rolled her eyes   
and sighed in reply.  
  
"You have a sister," Cordelia said slowly.  
  
"Well, half-sister really. No demon in her, she's 100% human, and also  
100% Slayer."  
  
"Oh." Cordelia stared at him, glad she'd reached the bench in time.  
"How?...When Faith died," she answered her own question. She looked   
over at the girl again. She had flaming red hair, down her back to   
her waist, green eyes and fair skin. She was probably around sixteen,   
which would make sense if she had just been called.  
  
Cordelia looked back at Doyle, and said, "You have a _lot_ to   
explain."  
  
"And I will, if it's safe to sit down," Doyle replied with a smile.  
  
"For now, but this better be good," Cordelia said skeptically.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
Motel 6  
1 pm  
  
  
Angel couldn't stand seeing Buffy in so much pain. He dropped to his  
knees next to her, and reached out to her, pulling her into his arms.  
Buffy tried to push him away, but he wouldn't let go, he just held her  
tighter. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I never wanted for you to be  
hurt. I loved you so much...I still do."  
  
Buffy sobbed and let him hold her, let him comfort her. She pulled   
away eventually though, and Angel let go reluctantly. "What now?" she   
asked. "Are you going to ask the Oracles to take it back, again?" she   
said bitterly.  
  
"Cordelia said I shouldn't give this up just because something bad   
could happen," Angel said. "But you were starting to put your life   
back together, before I came back to Sunnydale," he added.  
  
"Riley?" she said incredulously.  
  
"Well, yeah," Angel replied. "He was your new boyfriend, wasn't he?"  
  
"Yeah, but he was far from true love, or anything like that," Buffy   
said with a sigh.  
  
Angel let out the breath he'd been holding, relieved to hear her say   
the words.   
  
Buffy smiled, noticing his reaction. "You were really worried?"  
she wondered.   
  
Angel nodded, "I know it's what I told you I always wanted you to   
have, a normal life with someone who could give you that. But the   
truth is, it was always my greatest fear, Buffy. That you  
would be able to move on, and find someone else. Because I knew I   
never would."  
  
Buffy shook her head. "Riley, for many reasons, was not someone I   
should have stayed with. His insistence in staying with the   
Initiative, the subtle way he pulled me farther away from my   
friends....But even if I _had_ found someone who was perfect, I still   
wouldn't have been able to love him the way he deserved anyway,   
Angel. Because I never stopped loving you. I know I said I was going   
to try to forget you, but I couldn't. I can't."  
  
She smiled then at another memory, and Angel looked at her  
questioningly. "I told you I would never forget. You should have  
believed me," she said with a smile.  
  
Angel looked down at the floor, and Buffy could tell he was undergoing  
an argument with himself at that moment. She smiled, knowing exactly   
how he felt. They had the ability to make each other unbelievably   
happy, but along with that came the ability to hurt each other beyond   
all belief.  
  
"Please don't walk away from this," she pleaded, "from us. You're  
alive." She shook her head, barely believing the words, "We can be  
together. All you have to do is let us be together."  
  
"I want that so much," Angel answered, his voice raw with emotion.  
  
"Then don't fight it," Buffy said, laying her hand on his   
cheek. "Trust us enough to believe we can make this work."   
  
Angel's eyes met hers, and he knew he'd lost the battle. As he pulled   
her into a kiss, though, he realized that it wasn't one that he'd   
wanted to win.  
  
  
&&&&&&&&&&  
Sunnydale  
Under the City  
  
Spike wandered through the sewer tunnels, muttering to himself. "Why   
did I ever come back to Sunnyhell. The stupid Slayer and her   
Slayerettes are going to drive me insane. Not to mention that poof of   
a Sire of mine. He's probably back to his brooding soul-self by now,   
makes me sick! Either way he's upset that I bit his precious Blondie.   
I shouldn't have stopped, should've just killed the bitch. Now I'm   
stuck in the bloody sewers, skulking like a rat. Me! William the   
Bloody! What the hell happened to me?!"  
  
"I was wondering that myself," a soft female voice said in front of   
him.  
  
"Bloody Hell," Spike muttered. "It can't be."  
  
"Aren't you happy to see me, Spike?" Drusilla said, stepping out from  
the shadows and walking up to him.  
  
"Happy? Last time I saw you, you were making out with another demon,"   
Spike said angrily, stepping back from her.  
  
"Spike," Drusilla whined, "I was just trying to make you jealous,   
silly boy. I didn't know you'd leave. I came back, didn't I?"  
  
"Why did you come back, Dru?" Spike asked suspiciously. "If I thought   
it was because of me, that would be one thing. But I have the strange  
feeling it's not me at all that brought you back to Sunnydale," he   
said with a resigned sigh.  
  
"What do you mean?" Drusilla replied innocently. "You're my Spike, why  
wouldn't I come back to Sunnydale to find you?"  
  
"Don't lie to me, Drusilla," Spike warned. "I've had a hell of a day,  
I'm not in the mood. I know you know that Angel's was back. But you're  
probably too late, Pet. He's most likely got his soul back now. So   
you wasted a trip, Dru." He got a small amount of satisfaction from   
the disappointment he saw in her eyes at the revelation that Angelus   
was probably Angel again. But that was accompanied by sadness at   
knowing that he had been right. He wasn't the real reason she came   
back.  
  
Spike sighed, and turned his back on her, to walk away. He stopped   
when he heard, "Spike? Don't be mad. I hate it when you're mad at me.   
I was happy to hear that my Angel was back here, but I missed my   
William too," she said.  
  
"Bloody hell," he muttered, more to himself than her. *She calls   
me 'her William' and I, William the Bloody, turn into a pussy cat.*   
He sighed, and said, "Come on then, Pet. We'll find somewhere that's   
more fit for my Princess than this sewer."   
  
He turned back to her, and she smiled happily, running to him. She   
threw her arms around him, and he kissed her hungrily. He realized   
that whatever the reasons for her coming back in the first place, he   
really didn't give a damn. He had his Drusilla back, and that was all   
that mattered.  
  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&


	21. Chapter Twenty-One

Sunnydale Park  
2 pm  
  
"Doyle, I'm going back to the other Watcher's House, if you're going   
to be here long. I want to get more info on this Adam thing."   
Charlotte said.  
  
"You've been to see Giles?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"Yeah. It's part of that long story," Doyle answered. "Fine,  
Charli--Charlotte, but don't do anything stupid like hunting on your  
own," he added.  
  
"Dooyyle," Charlotte whined. "I'm not a little girl."  
  
"Charlie, I mean it," he warned.  
  
"Fine," she huffed. "Maybe the other Slayer will show up, and we can  
make our plans for getting rid of that thing," she said.  
  
Cordelia watched in amazement as the new Slayer wandered off. "Okay,  
you've got so much to explain, Mister. But why don't we start with   
when you didn't die but you let m.... us believe that you did," she   
said, crossing her arms in front of her to make her annoyance evident.  
  
"Okay," Doyle sat down next to her and started his story. "When that  
thing zapped me, I was sure that was it for me. But then, there I was,  
in front of the Oracles. They basically offered me a deal. If I agreed  
to go back to Ireland and find Charlie, they'd let me live. The only  
catch was I _couldn't_ tell you or Angel that I was alive. I wanted to  
Cordelia, I thought about it every day... The only thing that kept me  
from doing that was that the Oracles promised I'd have the chance to   
see you two again soon.  
  
"As for why they wanted me back in Ireland...when Charlie was born, my  
mum shipped her off to Ireland. I guess you've gathered that if she's   
my human half-sister, her father was human. My father died when I was   
six, and mum tried to make a normal life wafter that. She couldn't   
though, not with a half-demon son. Charlie's dad left her not too   
longer after she got pregnant, because he couldn't deal with me.   
  
"When Charlie was a few months old, mum sent her to live with our   
Aunt, in Dublin. She told me that Charlie deserved a normal life, and   
how coud I argue with that. Mum was adamant that we not make any   
attempt to contact Charlie. Then when mum died about five years ago,   
I thought about finding Charlie again. I decided against it. She'd   
never known me or Mum, and I figured it was better not to disrupt her   
life.  
  
"So, when I....left, the Oracles told me I was supposed to go find  
Charlie, and basically watch out for her. I didn't understand, until  
they explained that Charlie was going to be the next Slayer. Of   
course, I then thought that meant Buffy...but they explained the 'two   
slayer' thing. They told me that the other Slayer, Faith, would die,   
and Charlie had been chosen. Not only was I supposed to take care of   
her, but they wanted me to be her Watcher when she was informed of   
her calling. Imagine that. Me, a Watcher!"  
  
"I'm trying," Cordelia said, a dazed look on her face.  
  
Doyle chuckled, and continued, "So, I went to Dublin, and I tracked   
the family down. Charlie did not greet me with open arms. Aunt Lorena   
had told Charlie all about us, but she hadn't been incredibly kind   
about mum's decision to send her overseas. Charlie wasn't interested   
in me, since I hadn't tried to find her earlier. Then, she was   
understandably upset when I had to tell her that our mother was dead.   
I understand now why the Oracles sent me away when they did. The last   
few months haven't been easy. It took this long for the Watcher's   
Council to want me as a Watcher, and for Charlie to trust me again.   
Surprisingly, it didn't take much time or effort for her to accept   
being a Slayer."  
  
"How long _has_ Faith been dead?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"Three weeks," Doyle answered. "And not too long after I was given the  
go-ahead by the Watcher's Council to tell Charlie she was a Slayer, we  
were told about Adam. Do you know about Adam?"  
  
"Just the little I've gotten out of Anya and Giles," Cordelia   
shrugged. "Big, ugly, almost impossible to kill.."  
  
Doyle laughed at the description. "Yeah, I suppose that sums it up,"   
he agreed. "They thought that Charlie might be able to help Buffy   
kill the big, bad ugly. I must say I was surprised to learn that you   
and....well, Angelus were back. I'm glad you're okay, though."  
  
"Yeah, Angelus did his 'maim, torture, kill' thing....luckily no   
killing in our direction, but one of my friends got a nice dose of   
his torture. I take it that you've been filled in by Giles about all   
the latest?"  
  
"Yeah, I contacted him, about a week ago. We checked in with him about  
an hour ago. I met Wesley, by the way. He was at Giles' apartment.   
They filled me and Charlie in on the morning's fun...but I'm confused   
about one thing," Doyle said.  
  
"_Only_ one?" Cordelia said skeptically, "You're way ahead of me   
Because I was still trying to make my brain catch up with what _we_   
did this morning. And then you throw me this curveball...'Look, a new   
Slayer! Oh, and there's Doyle, and he's alive. And guess what, he's a   
Watcher!'" Cordelia looked at him a moment, a bewildered look on her   
face. "Oh, I'm sorry. Was that the part where I was supposed to   
say, 'Which thing was confusing, Doyle? I'll be glad to un-confuse   
you'?" she asked.  
  
Doyle smiled, and said, "I can only imagine how hard it is for you to  
process all this. These are things that have occurred over several  
months, and I've condensed them into minutes. Take all the time you  
need."   
  
He reached out hesitantly to take her hand, and was relieved when she   
didn't pull away. Instead she took it, and smiled up him. It took   
every bit of restraint he had not to pull her into his arms and kiss   
her. He told himself this wasn't the right time. Hopefully they had   
plenty of time for that later. "So does that mean I'm forgiven for   
not telling you and Angel I wasn't dead?" he asked hopefully.   
  
Cordelia laughed and said, "Maybe.... Oh! We've _gotta_ go find   
Angel. I _know_ he'll be happy to see you!"  
  
"Slow down there, Princess," Doyle said with a smile. "First, would   
you please unconfuse me on that one point I mentioned earlier? Was   
that Mohra demon's blood Giles mentioned you guys went to collect   
before storming the mansion the same kind that made Angel human last   
time?"  
  
"Uh, yeah," Cordelia answered. "And, yes. It did it again."  
  
"Cordy--"  
  
"Don't lecture me, Doyle," Cordelia groaned. "I already got a  
mini-lecture from Angel. And I'm not sorry. I didn't think that it   
would bring his _life_ back, I was just going for bringing back his   
soul. I couldn't let him stay Angelus, and I didn't want to kill him   
without at least trying to bring Angel back. It worked, and none of   
us died, so I consider our morning a relative success."  
  
"Cordelia, I wasn't going to lecture you--" At Cordelia's raised  
eyebrow, he added, "Okay, so maybe I was. I miss giving you a hard   
time about things," he shrugged. "I don't doubt that you did it for   
the right reasons. I figure that Angel has more than paid his dues   
and deserves to be free. If he can let himself be."  
  
"Oh, he will, all right. Because if the return of brood-boy was bad   
when he turned back time the first time... I can only imagine the  
brood-possibilities if he does it again. So he either accepts his new  
chance at a normal life, or I'll stake him.   
  
"Oh, you laugh, but you have no idea the amount of angst one vampire   
with a soul can exude. And when that vampire with a soul is in love   
with a human girl who happens to be the....well, a Slayer, watch out.   
What you don't know is he got so much worse after you dyi...well, the   
point is I can't take it anymore, it's either me or him.  
  
"But, now that I've cleared that confusion up, come on. Angel will   
have much less opportunity to consider a return to brood-boy if we   
distract him by the fact that you're alive." Cordelia jumped up and   
dragged Doyle toward the motel.  
  
&&&&&&  
Xander's House  
2 pm  
  
Xander and Anya were in his room. Anya was nagging him about eating,   
and Xander had gotten to the point where he had blocked it out. He was  
sitting looking at a magazine, but not really seeing anything, when he  
heard his mom's voice. "Xander, it's your friend Willow!"  
  
"Oops," Anya said. "I didn't hear the door, sorry."  
  
"It's okay. I should've figured she'd find a way in eventually,"   
Xander shrugged. He looked up as Willow descended the stairway.   
  
"Xander, I know you're angry. But if you'll just give me a chance,"   
Willow pleaded.  
  
"Anger doesn't describe it properly," Xander replied. "Devastated,   
that almost begins to cover it. Anya told me how much time you guys   
spent trying to find the cure for dead-boy before you finally made it   
over to the mansion. I'm touched that you thought saving me and   
Wesley was so not immediately important. Disappointed is another good   
one. Ange...He told me that Buffy knew he was back yesterday morning.   
Was that true?"  
  
Willow nodded mutely, looking down at the floor.  
  
"I see. Yet, nobody bothered to tell me or Anya that the psycho was  
loose. I find that sickening proof of what a non-person I am to you   
two lately. And then there was the decision to keep me from staking   
him. You have no idea how much it hurts to know that Buffy's and   
Angel's happiness is more important to you than mine."  
  
"Xander, that's not true," Willow protested. "I love you and Buffy. We  
all used to be so close, and I just couldn't bear the possibility that  
it's all over. By stopping you, I was trying to salvage what little  
chance there was for those friendships. If you'd staked Angelus, Buffy  
never would have forgiven you. I never dreamed that you'd think I was  
betraying you," Willow said.  
  
"I think that's part of the problem, Wills. You thought I'd go along  
with the plan, like I always have. You figured I'd just shrug off all  
the bad stuff that's happened and jump on the 'save Angel's soul  
bandwagon'. But I can't. Not anymore. Not after what he did to me."  
  
"I don't know what to say, Xander. Tell me what to say, or do, to make  
this better," Willow said, looking at him sadly.  
  
"I don't think there's anything you could possibly say or do to make   
it better," Xander shrugged, looking at her blankly. "This isn't   
getting us anywhere. Please leave."  
  
Willow opened her mouth to argue, but thought better of it. She let   
out a dejected sigh, and walked back upstairs and out the door.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
Motel 6  
2 pm  
  
Buffy and Angel had managed to move onto the bed but Angel broke the  
mood unexpectedly. "Buffy we shouldn't do this right now--" as he   
tried to extract himself from Buffy's embrace. At her pout, he gave   
up, getting out of her arms. He pointed out, though, "Cordelia or   
Wesley could walk in on us."  
  
"So? Fine, fine," she muttered. She contented herself by curling up   
on his lap. "Why only one room?"  
  
"I wanted to go back to L.A., but Cordelia informed me that was out of  
the question. The compromise was that we'd get one hotel room for the  
day, while we decided what we would do next."  
  
"You really would have left town, and not told me you were human?"   
Buffy questioned, obviously hurt at the possibility. Angel sighed,   
and kissed her on the forehead, "I just wanted some time to sort   
things out. I hate that I've caused you and your friends so much   
pain--don't bother arguing that it wasn't me. I remember it, whether   
or not I was actually able to control my actions at the moment,"   
Angel added.  
  
"Okay, fine. But what do we do now?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I...I don't know, Buffy. The last time this happened, I was forced to  
make a choice. If I'd stayed human, I was told you would die. I   
couldn't deal with that," Angel said.   
  
Buffy could see the sadness in his eyes. "It's okay, I remember all   
of that," Buffy replied. "You've never hurt me intentionally, Angel.   
You gave up the chance to be human, because you thought that you   
being human would cost me my life. What you don't get is that I   
don't want a long life if it's a long life without you in it."  
  
"I feel the same way about you," Angel replied. "I've missed you so   
much, Buffy. I have Cordelia call Giles occasionally on the pretense   
of a question only he could answer. Of course, she asks about you and   
the others, and that's how I reassure myself that you are okay."  
  
Buffy laughed. "We are pathetic, aren't we? So why can't we be   
pathetic together?" she added with a smile.   
  
Angel kissed her gently, and said, "I want to be with you, Buffy. I   
just need some time to figure out how."  
  
"Angel, if we're going to be together, that doesn't mean you have to  
move back here. L.A. isn't that far away from Sunnydale. But it does  
mean I need you to promise me something," Buffy said.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Don't obsess about everything that could go wrong if we stay   
together. Don't go to the Oracles demanding to know what this means.   
Just let it be. Let us be two at least semi-normal people, and we'll   
take each day as it comes. Can you do that?" she asked.  
  
Angel nodded. "Okay. I can promise that I won't go to the Oracles. As   
for the rest, I'll try, okay? I can't help worrying about you, so   
don't ask me that."  
  
"I suppose I'll have to be happy with that for now. We'll work on the  
rest later." Buffy said. "Right now, though, we've seriously got to  
contemplate finding another place to spend some time together," she  
added, as she kissed him passionately.  
  
"Angel you'll--oh," Cordelia walked into the room then. "Sorry, but I  
think I've got someone here you'll be happy to see."  
  
  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&  
End of 21 


	22. Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter 22  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&  
Motel 6  
Sunday, 2:30 pm  
  
"Doyle?" Angel gasped. "I saw you die..."  
  
"It's a long story, man. Sorry to drop in on you like this, but you   
know how Cordelia gets when she gets an idea into her head," Doyle   
said.  
  
"Hey! I think I resent that, but I'm not sure," Cordelia said with a  
frown.  
  
"I should go, you guys have a lot to catch up on obviously," Buffy   
said.  
  
"Buffy, you don't have to," Angel protested.  
  
"Yeah, I do," she insisted. "I need to check on Xander--"  
  
"Don't bother, Buffy. He won't let you in," Cordelia interrupted.  
  
"How would _you_ know?" Buffy demanded, a puzzled expression on her  
face.  
  
"I was just there--" At both Buffy and Angel's incredulous   
expressions, she sighed. "Look, Xander and I haven't been friends for   
a while. So I guess he expected a whole lot less from me than he did   
from you," looking pointedly at Buffy. "Or Willow. I'm just trying to   
warn you that if you go over there, you'll be wasting your time. Why   
don't you respect what he wants for once and give him some time?"  
  
"I don't need your advice, Cordelia," Buffy replied, walking to the  
door. "You're right, you are _not_ Xander's friend. I am, so if you'll  
excuse me," she stopped facing Cordelia, who was in the doorway.   
  
Cordy sighed and shrugged, moving out of her way. "That girl, I   
swear. She never listens to anybody! She thinks she knows everything.   
Please, just because she's the Slayer, that doesn't mean she  
knows everything. It's a miracle that she listened to me about the   
Mohra demon."  
  
"Cordelia," Angel said, breaking her rant. "There's more important  
things to talk about right now than your issues with Buffy."  
  
"Oh, yeah. Like Doyle being a Watcher!"  
  
"Cordelia!" Doyle yelled.  
  
"Oh, sorry. I always was terrible for giving away the best part of a  
story first," Cordy shrugged, smiling.  
  
Doyle groaned, and said to Angel, "How on earth have you put up with   
her for this long?" in mock-irritation.  
  
"You're a Watcher?" was all Angel could manage in reply, a bewildered  
look on his face.  
  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Xander's House  
  
Oz was waiting outside as Willow exited the house. The sad expression   
on her face answered his question. "Go ahead," she said. "Say I told   
you so."  
  
"I wouldn't do that to you, sweetie," Oz replied, putting an arm   
around her shoulders. "It'll work out," he reassured her.  
  
"Hey, Willow," Buffy walked up then. Noting Willow's expression, she  
said, "Let me guess. No luck with Xander?" Willow just shook her head   
in reply. "Well, is there even any point in me knocking on the door?"   
Buffy asked.  
  
"You can try, Buffy. I guess that's all we can do, right? Keep   
trying," Willow shrugged, and walked off.   
  
Oz said, "My advice is to just let him be for now," and ran to catch   
up with Willow.  
  
Buffy turned to the door, but was distracted by her cell-phone. "Now  
what," she said, shaking her head in irritation. "What?!" she   
answered it, none too kindly.  
  
"Er, Buffy?" Giles was on the other end.  
  
"Sorry, Giles. What's up?"  
  
"Could you come over here? There's someone that you need to meet."  
  
"Can it wait?"  
  
"No, actually; It can't. It's rather important."  
  
Buffy sighed, but said, "Okay, Giles. I'll be there in five." She   
ended the call, and turned to go. "I'll be back later to talk to   
Xander. Maybe Oz is right, and he'll be more open to me then," she   
said to herself.  
  
*******  
  
"Now what?" Anya asked after Willow had left.  
  
"Huh?" Xander looked at her, confused.  
  
"Snap out of it! You need to take control of your life again," Anya  
insisted.  
  
"How? I think it's safe to say that Buffy and Willow aren't going to  
give me the space I need to deal with things. If I could just make  
myself forget about them, Anya, I would. If someday I managed that, I  
might be able get my life back to normal for a little while. Until the  
day you and I are out together, and we run into Him."  
  
"You don't know he's going to stay in Sunnydale," Anya protested.  
  
"Oh, please," Xander said, rolling his eyes. "I think I know how this  
story goes. Buffy will get back together with her demon lover, for a  
while, anyway. Then he gets a little too happy, and we all get to run  
for our lives again. I'm tired of playing that game, but I seem to be  
the only one who is tired of it."  
  
"So...we're still back to my previous question, Xander," Anya replied.  
"Now what?"  
  
"I don't know," Xander sighed. "When I do, you'll be the first person   
I tell."  
  
"Tell me what to do to help you," Anya said.  
  
Xander took Anya's hand, and kissed her gently. "You already are  
helping, Anya. You've taken care of me, run interference for me. Just  
put up with me a while longer, okay? Until I can figure out what I'm  
going to do next?" he pleaded, giving her his patented puppy-dog look.  
  
"You don't have to worry about me going anywhere," Anya   
replied. "After over 1000 years of enacting all kinds of revenge on   
the male species, I had to go and fall in love with one of them," she   
added with a sigh.  
  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
Motel 6  
3 pm  
  
"Angel? Say something, Man," Doyle prodded. He'd finished his story   
five minutes ago, and Angel was still looking at the floor, a dazed  
expression on his face.  
  
Angel looked up at Doyle and blinked. "Um... sorry, nothing's coming   
to me," Angel shrugged. "I guess I don't know what to say to such an  
incredible story. Somehow, 'Gee, Doyle, glad you're back' doesn't   
quite cut it," he added with a smile.  
  
"Well it's a start," Cordelia said. "And if that's all you have to   
say then I'm going to change the subject and ask the question I'm   
dying to know the answer to."  
  
Angel chuckled, "I know, what you're dying for is to hear me say that   
you were right. Okay, okay. But you'd better not let it go to your   
head. Just this once, you were right about me and playing the what if   
games. Instead of ignoring the fact that I've got another chance   
because something could go wrong, Buffy and I are going to try make   
something go right for once."  
  
"Wow. I mean, I'm in shock that you actually listened to me for once,"  
Cordelia said. "And I'm happy for you."  
  
"But?" Angel said.  
  
"No, no buts," Cordelia replied. "Everything's fine. I mean, why  
wouldn't it be. Doyle's alive, you're alive. Only things to be happy  
about, right?" And to both Angel and Doyle's utter amazement, Cordelia  
burst into tears and ran out of the door.  
  
"Go after her, Doyle," Angel said.  
  
"I'm not sure she wants me--"  
  
"Doyle, go!" Angel yelled.  
  
"Fine, I'm goin', I'm goin'." Doyle replied, and ran after Cordelia.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&  
End of 22 


	23. Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter 23  
  
&&&&&&&  
3:30 pm  
Sunnydale Park  
  
Doyle finally caught up with Cordelia where he'd found her two hours  
earlier. She was crying silently, facing away from him, her  
face in her hands. "Come here, Princess," Doyle said gently, pulling   
her into his arms. "Tell me what I can do to help."  
  
"I'm okay," Cordelia said, wiping the tears from her face as she   
rested her head on Doyle's chest. "These last few days I haven't had   
a lot of time to let myself react to anything. Watching Angelus play   
his evil games until I was able to escape. Then helping Buffy and the   
others bring Angel back. And then finding out that you were never   
dead. Especially finding out about that, Doyle. Do you have any idea   
how many times I've wished that your death was just a bad dream?" she   
pushed him away then, and went to sit on the bench nearby.  
  
"Probably at least as many times as I've wished I could tell you,"   
Doyle said, walking over to sit next to her. "I'm so sorry,   
sweetheart." He held his breath and looked over at her. *Damn, Doyle.   
Why'd you let that slip out? Now there's a sure-fire way to scare her   
off* he thought. *Well, she doesn't look like she caught it. Maybe   
you're safe.*  
  
"What are your plans, Doyle?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"Well, Charlie and I are staying in Sunnydale for a while. Until we   
can get rid of Adam. Then I guess we're going back to Ireland."  
  
"Oh," Cordelia said, and Doyle almost convinced himself he sensed  
disappointment in that word. "I guess you've made a life for yourself  
there?"  
  
"It's just me and Charlie," Doyle answered slowly, not sure what she   
was asking. "It's not incredibly exciting, but not too lonely either."  
  
"You don't have anyone?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"Oh," Doyle finally got it. "No, Cordelia. The only 'someone' there   
ever was lives in L.A. and works for a vampire." He watched her face   
closely, waiting for her reaction.   
  
She looked straight ahead, silent for a half a minute. Then she took   
a shaky breath, and said, "He's not a vampire anymore."  
  
"Cordelia," Doyle took her hand, willing her to look at him. She   
finally did, and he could see the tears in her eyes. He gathered up   
his courage to say, "I love you. I have no right to think you ever   
did, or you ever could feel the same way--"  
  
"Doyle."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You talk too much. Just kiss me already," she said, smiling.  
  
Having no witty response to that command, he didn't try long to come   
up with one. He took her face in his hands, and kissed her gently.   
  
She challenged, "That the best you can do?"  
  
"I was just getting warmed up," Doyle replied, and moved to kiss her  
again. This time he held nothing back, and asked, "Was that better?"   
his eyes dancing with laughter.   
  
"Better," she agreed, breathlessly. "But practice makes perfect."  
  
"My thoughts exactly, Princess," he said with a smile, making every  
effort to improve with practice.  
  
&&&&&&&&  
Sunnydale Sewer tunnels  
3:30 pm  
  
"Well, I know it's not the fanciest place," Spike said as he led  
Drusilla to a large room off the underground tunnels. "But it's dryer  
than the rest of the sewer system. It's safe, too. I don't think   
Slutty knows about it."  
  
"Spike I saw something last night," Drusilla said, as she looked   
around. Spike could tell she wasn't seeing the room, obviously   
disturbed by whatever vision she'd had the other night.  
  
"What's that, Pet?"  
  
"There was a bad thing, and it was trying to hurt you," she said  
frowning.  
  
"A 'bad thing'? Drusilla, I'm bad too," Spike said with a laugh.  
  
"No you aren't. You're evil, like me," Drusilla said smiling. "But   
this thing, it's...it's not supposed to _be_, Spike. It doesn't have a  
reason. It's just bad."  
  
Spike smiled at her reasoning, but knew well enough not to argue with   
her. "You must mean Adam," he said. "Don't worry about that creature,   
Pet. Spike will take care of it for you."  
  
"No!" Drusilla yelled in a panic, grabbing his arm. "You can't!   
Promise me you'll stay away from it, Spike!"  
  
"Hey," Spike pulled Drusilla into his arms and was surprised to feel   
her trembling with fear. "I promise, Dru. Whatever you say. It's all   
right," he tried to soothe her.  
  
"We shouldn't be here," Drusilla whimpered. "It's not safe. He's   
going to kill you and I'm going to be all alone. Don't leave me   
alone."  
  
"I'm not going anywhere," Spike said. "Maybe we are, though." Drusilla  
looked at him hopefully, and he shrugged. "You win, as always, Pet.   
It's been a while since we've taken a trip together. What should it   
be this time?"  
  
"You'd really leave with me?" she asked.  
  
"It makes sense to get out of here, for a while anyway," Spike   
replied. "As much as I enjoy tormenting the Slayer and our Sire, it's   
getting boring. Besides, no self-respecting demon is safe in this   
town as long as Adam is still alive. So, yeah. Let's get out of   
Sunnydale for a month or so, and maybe during that time the Slayer   
and Adam will kill each other. Then when we come back, I can finally   
be Master of this town," he said with a grin.  
  
"Paris," Dru said, answering his earlier question.  
  
"Okay," Spike said, "Paris it is. No Slayers, no man-made demons,  
sounds like my kind of town right about now," he grinned, laughing as  
she threw her arms around him and hugged him, squealing in delight.  
  
&&&&&&&  
Giles' apartment  
3:30 pm  
  
Buffy arrived and Willow let her in. "Oh, so that's where you two   
went," she remarked, noticing Oz sitting not too far away. "Okay,   
Giles. This had better be..." Buffy trailed off as she saw the other   
red-head sitting in a chair nearby. "Who's that?" she said to Giles,   
pointing in Charlotte's direction.  
  
"Buffy, why don't you sit down," Giles said, entering from the   
kitchen. "Tea?"  
  
"No thanks," Buffy replied, sitting on the couch next to Willow and  
waiting for Giles to finish doing the host-thing. When everyone had  
their tea and was sitting, she tried again. "Who's that?"  
  
"Buffy, I need to tell you something, and I'm not sure how you're   
going to react," Giles said slowly.  
  
"What?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Faith is dead, Buffy," Wesley finally answered.  
  
"Oh.....okay," she said. At the shocked looks, she added, "What? I'm  
sorry if you all expected me to be upset about it, and maybe I should  
be. But I'm not. If anything, I'm relieved. She was a danger to   
everyone who came into contact with her. At least now I don't have to   
worry about her coming back to wreck my life again."  
  
"I suppose I can understand your point of view," Giles said. "But the  
fact that Faith is dead means that there's another Slayer. You do  
realize that, don't you?"  
  
"I guess," Buffy muttered. "Is this going to go on forever? I die for  
just a few seconds, and it throws off the balance of everything? Why  
can't the Watcher's Council just stop calling Slayers until I'm   
_really_ dead?"  
  
"It's not that simple," Wesley answered. "The girls aren't called  
because the Watchers say so, you know that, Buffy."  
  
"I know, it's The Powers that Be that call them," Buffy said  
dismissively. "Why can't _they_ stop this double Slayer thing then?"  
  
"Because there's a need for it now," Charlotte answered quietly.  
  
"And you are???" Buffy replied.  
  
"My name's Charlotte. And I'm the new Slayer," Charlotte answered.   
She enjoyed watching Buffy's jaw drop.  
  
&&&&&&&&  
Xander's House  
4 pm  
  
"Are you sure that this is what you want to do, Xander?" Anya asked.  
  
"Yeah," Xander nodded. "I have to, Anya. I don't expect you to--"  
  
"Don't be ridiculous, Xander. I'm with you, unless you don't want   
me--"  
  
"Of course I do, Anya," he said, stopping in his tasks to stand in   
front of her and take her hand. "I want you, I need you, and I don't   
say it enough, or actually ever, but I love you."  
  
"Oh," Anya blinked in surprise.  
  
"You didn't know?" Xander said, surprised himself.  
  
"No, I didn't. I guess I've never really known what we're doing here.   
I didn't think you did either, though. I always figured you'd tell me   
when you figured it out," she shrugged.  
  
"I'm sorry I took so long to figure it out," Xander said, and kissed  
her.  
  
"Oh well," Anya wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling, "Better   
late than never."  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
End of 23 


	24. Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter 24  
  
Giles' Apartment  
4 pm  
  
"I get that reaction a lot," Charlotte said calmly. "For some reason,  
just because I'm only 5'2'', it seems to follow in everyone's mind   
that I'm easy to beat. I don't mind that, though. Because when demons   
underestimate me, it's all the easier for me to kill them."  
  
"I'm glad you told me to sit down, Giles," Buffy said. "Because I   
think I feel like I would feel if I was going to faint. And I'd hate   
to embarrass myself like that in front of another Slayer."  
  
"Breathe, Buffy," Willow suggested.  
  
"Breathe," Buffy agreed, nodding. "Breathing is an underrated thing."  
She turned to Charlotte, and asked, "You're not demented, are you?"  
  
"Buffy!" Willow exclaimed in shock.  
  
Charlotte laughed. "No, I'm not," she answered Buffy. "I've heard   
about the girl that I'm replacing, and I'm nothing like her. I've had   
a wonderful childhood, and I get along perfectly with my Watcher. It   
helps that he's my big brother. I think you've met Doyle?"  
  
"I'm still sitting, right?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yes, Buffy. You're still sitting," Willow said patiently.  
  
"I'm glad we have established that," Giles said sarcastically. "Now if  
we could get to the reason I called you here?"  
  
"I'm glad things are back to normal between us," Buffy   
responded. "I've missed my daily dose of sarcasm."  
  
"Which was that Charlotte is here," Giles said, continuing his train   
of thought and ignoring Buffy's comment. "The Council sent her and   
Mr. Doyle here so she can be of assistance in dealing with Adam."  
  
"I hate to point out the obvious, Giles--"  
  
"That's never stopped you before," Giles sighed.  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes at the interruption, and continued, "--but we  
could have twenty Slayers in Sunnydale, and it wouldn't matter,   
because we still wouldn't know how to kill Adam."  
  
"We don't know how to kill him _yet_," Giles agreed. "But that   
knowledge will come. In the meantime, you and Charlotte need to learn   
to fight together. You two will patrol together nightly, and train   
together during the day. Both Doyle and I will be observing and   
assisting with your training. All of us, including Wesley, who has   
agreed to stay for a while, will continue our research. By the time   
we find a weakness to exploit in Adam, hopefully you and Charlotte   
will be ready to take advantage of it."  
  
"Well, that was vague yet optimistic," Buffy replied. "And I don't   
like this waiting around doing nothing thing."  
  
"You won't be doing nothing," Giles said. "Training is not 'nothing'.  
Continuing to protect the people of this town from the demon   
population is not 'nothing'. I'm sorry if you don't like this plan,   
but we all believe it is the best plan for now. Of course, you are   
the Slayer, and I'm not truly your Watcher anymore. So you don't   
_have_ to go along with this plan if you don't want to."  
  
"Of course I'm going along with it, Giles," Buffy said. "I trust you,  
you've never given me bad advice."  
  
They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Oz was nearest, and   
opened it. "Angel. I assume you're allowed in," Oz looked to Giles for  
confirmation. Giles nodded, and Oz stepped back to let Angel in. He  
walked over to sit on the arm of the couch next to Buffy.  
  
Willow was the first to notice the obvious. "Wait, it's still light   
out. You walked over here in the sun...."  
she trailed off, as her jaw dropped at the realization.  
  
&&&&&  
Sunnydale Park  
4 pm  
  
"Okay, time to be serious" Cordelia said, pushing Doyle away from his  
fascination with nibbling on her earlobe. "Serious? Now why would we  
want to be that," Doyle teased, trying to return to the task at hand.  
"Uh-uh," Cordelia pushed him away again, and said, "Behave, Doyle."  
  
"I am," he said.  
  
"Doyle!"  
  
"Okay, okay. What do we need to be serious about, Princess?" he said,  
and pulled her back against his chest, wrapping his arms around her.  
  
"What we're going to do now," Cordelia replied. "I mean, you were  
planning on there being a we, weren't you?"  
  
"Of course I was, Cordelia," he reassured her. "Okay. The dreaded what  
now talk. Well, Charlie and I are probably going to be in Sunnydale   
for a month, at least. After that, I guess we're going back to   
Ireland. It depends on where the Watcher's Council wants us, really."  
  
"Doyle, you didn't answer my question," Cordelia reminded him.  
  
"I know. I'm trying," he replied.  
  
"Just ask, Doyle."  
  
"Just ask, she says," he muttered. "Okay," he sighed, and turned her   
by the shoulders to face him. "Cordelia, when Charlie and I are done   
here, I want you to go with us when we leave."  
  
"What do you _do_, Doyle? I mean, you're a Watcher, but what about a  
job?"  
  
"I do Private Investigator work, in Dublin. It helps when I need   
access to any city records for research to help Charlie. I'm not rich   
or anything, but it pays the bills."  
  
"Oh," Cordelia nodded, "I think I can live with that."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I think I can live with that," Cordelia said, smiling.  
  
"You can," he said still trying to believe what he was hearing.  
  
"Doyle!" Cordelia hit him playfully, "How many more times do you need   
me to say it?"  
  
"Just once more, I think," he said, a dazed expression on his face.  
  
"Okay, but I'm holding you to that," Cordelia warned. "I think I can  
live with that, Doyle. Yes, I'll go with you," she said, stroking his  
face with her hand. "I love you," she said, and this was almost a  
whisper.  
  
Doyle didn't have a response to that, other than to kiss her and hope  
this would show her how much he loved her.  
  
&&&&&&  
Giles' Apartment  
4:30  
  
Buffy and Angel were enjoying Willow's bewilderment too much to help   
her out, so Giles explained. "Yes, it appears that the Mohra demon's   
blood was more regenerative than Cordelia let on."  
  
"You're alive?" Willow asked.  
  
Angel laughed, "Yes, I am."  
  
"Wow, that's...I think I'll stick with wow," Willow said. "Wait, how   
did _you_ know already?" she asked Giles.  
  
"Wesley told me. I hope you don't mind, Angel," Giles said.  
  
"Of course not," Angel said. "Anything that affects Buffy, the rest of  
you have every right to know about it."  
  
"Buffy, Angel, may I speak to you in the kitchen?" Giles asked.  
  
"Sure, Giles," Buffy said, and they followed him into the kitchen.  
"What?" she asked.  
  
"It's none of my business if you and Angel are back together, but I--"  
  
"Oh. I get it. This is where you remind me how dangerous it would be   
for me to get distracted right now? Look, Giles. I appreciate the   
concern, I really do. And given how bad it got at times when we were   
together last, I understand it. But this is different."  
  
"I realize that, Buffy. But Angel being human leads to a whole new set  
of concerns."  
  
"Such as?"  
  
"Such as my reasons for reversing everything last time, Buffy," Angel  
said. "I'm human, and my being in danger could put you in unnecessary  
danger. Am I right, Giles?"  
  
"Yes, actually," Giles nodded.  
  
"If Angel went on Patrol with me, and he got hurt, yeah, I'd help him.  
But how is that any different from when Xander, or Willow, or you get  
hurt and I have to help you? I know this isn't going to be easy. But  
we've decided that we need to at least try to make it work. I hope you  
can respect that, even if you don't like it?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Of course I can, Buffy," Giles said. "You deserve some happiness,   
and I hope you can make this work. I just worry, if it wasn't Angel   
it would be something else."  
  
"Giles, if it makes you feel any better, I don't plan on patrolling   
with Buffy. Not for a while, anyway. Not until I know I can be more   
of a help than a hindrance," Angel said.  
  
"I think that's a wise decision, and it does ease my mind a little,"  
Giles replied.  
  
"Giles! Buffy!" Willow yelled from the living room. The three moved to  
see what she wanted them for.  
  
Giles was the first one out, and Buffy was right behind him. She   
stopped suddenly, and Angel barely kept from running into her. He   
looked over her head, and met the eyes of Xander Harris. Angel looked   
away, he couldn't stand the mixture of pain and hatred he saw looking   
back at him.  
  
"Xander," Buffy said, breaking the awkward silence. "We weren't  
expecting--"  
  
"No kidding," Xander said. "I gathered as much, what with the   
murdering demon in the Watcher's house and all."  
  
&&&&&&&&&&  
END of 24 


	25. Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter 25  
  
4:30 pm  
Sunnydale Park  
  
"As much as I hate to break this up," Doyle sighed, "I really should   
get to Giles' place and check on Charlie. If I let her out of my   
sight for too long, she gets into trouble."  
  
"Okay, let's go then. I'm sure most of the gang are there by now   
anyway. Most," Cordelia shook her head and sighed.  
  
"What's the gloomy look for?" Doyle asked as they walked down the  
street.  
  
"Oh," Cordelia said, "I was thinking about Xander. Angelus hurt him  
pretty badly. He's shut Buffy and Willow out, he feels like they chose  
Angel over him. This is the first time I've ever seen the group  
fractured like that."  
  
"Xander. Isn't he your--"  
  
"Ex, yeah. How on earth did you know that?!" Cordelia stopped and   
looked at him, bewildered.  
  
"Oh, uh, I kind of had Angel tell me everything he knew about you a   
long time ago," Doyle said, looking at her sheepishly.  
  
"Men," Cordelia muttered, and started walking again. "Always trying to  
get a tactical advantage."  
  
"Cut me some slack, Cordelia. I didn't think you'd ever accept me as  
more than just an annoying co-worker, but I still hoped for more than  
that. I figured if I knew a little more about you, it would make it  
easier for me to get up the nerve to ask you out."  
  
"It still took you long enough," she said, smiling.  
  
"Yeah, well, that just means I have to make up for lost time, then,"  
Doyle said, kissing her on the cheek.  
  
"That sounds promising," Cordelia replied.  
  
  
&&&&&&  
Giles' House  
5 pm  
  
"I don't know why I even bothered to come," Xander said. "I'll go," he  
grabbed Anya by the hand and turned to leave.  
  
"Wait," Angel said softly. "I'll go."  
  
Xander heard the back door close, and Buffy said, "Please come in,  
Xander."  
  
He turned and walked inside, Anya trailing after him. "I'm not going   
to stay long, I just came to say something," he said.  
  
"Before you do, Xander, there's something I need to tell you," Buffy  
said, looking at Willow. Willow nodded her agreement. "I don't know   
how to say this," Buffy continued, "but you deserve to hear it from   
me, rather than find it out another way."  
  
"Go ahead," Xander said.  
  
Buffy met his eyes, but looked away again. She took a deep breath,  
bracing herself. "Angel's alive, Xander. As in breathing, heart-  
beating, alive." She waited, still unable to look at him, expecting a   
reaction of some kind. She got it.  
  
"WHAT?!" he yelled angrily. "What do you mean, he's alive!"  
  
"Charlotte, why don't we go find your brother," Wesley said, standing  
quickly.  
  
"That's a good idea," Charlotte replied with a smile and they fled out  
the door.  
  
"That was tense," she remarked, when they were both outside.  
  
"Yes, whenever Angelus is involved, the results are far from pretty,"  
Wesley agreed. They walked toward the hotel in silence, and met up   
with Cordelia and Doyle.  
  
"Where have you been!" Charlotte demanded of her brother.  
  
"Sorry, guess I lost track of time" he shrugged, but couldn't remove   
the dopey grin from his face. Charlotte looked to Cordelia and saw   
how she looked at Doyle. She began to understand what had made her   
brother lose track of time.  
  
"Well, it looked like the beginnings of World War Three in that   
place, so Mr. Price and I decided to escape," Charlotte said.  
  
"What do you mean?" Cordelia questioned, a worried look on her face.  
  
"Xander showed up," Wesley answered, "And he wasn't happy to find that  
Angel was there. Angel left, but I think Buffy's news that Angel is  
alive was not something Xander wanted to hear."  
  
Cordelia sighed, and said, "I've gotta get over there."  
  
"I'll catch up with you later," Doyle said, kissing her lingeringly.   
The gasp of surprise from Charlotte was not missed by the two lovers,   
and they exchanged an amused smile.  
  
"Okay, later," Cordelia said, and ran the rest of the way to Giles'  
apartment. Right before she was out of hearing range, she heard  
Charlotte say, "What the HELL was that!"  
  
&&&&&  
Motel 6  
5:15  
  
Wesley walked back to the motel, and found Angel sitting in a chair  
staring out the window. "Hi," Angel said quietly.  
  
"If you'd like to be alone--"  
  
"No, you're fine," Angel replied. "I don't deserve it, you know."  
  
Wesley sighed, and sat in the other chair. "Nobody deserves a second  
chance, Angel. But I don't think that you should let your guilt keep   
you from seeing what will come of it."  
  
"So you think there's some reason behind why I'm human again. Some  
purpose for it," Angel said.  
  
"Yes, I do," Wesley replied. "And in the meantime, just keep doing   
what you've always done, Angel. You don't have to be a vampire with a   
soul to help people."  
  
Angel smiled, saying, "Good point, Wesley. And I am planning on   
keeping the business open for a while. I still feel like I have too   
much to try to make up for. You've read about things I did as   
Angelus. But those stories, they're probably only half of the   
reality. I'm sure there's hundreds, if not thousands, of atrocities   
that nobody knows about. But last night... Buffy should hate me, you   
know. After what I did to Xander..."  
  
"Angel, Buffy does hate the demon, the one who caused all this pain.   
But the part of you that was human, the soul, that's the part Buffy   
never hated. Not everyone involved can make the distinction between   
Angel and Angelus, though. Not now, anyway. But that doesn't mean   
that given enough time things can't change," Wesley said.  
  
"I just don't want to be the reason Buffy loses another friend," Angel  
replied. "Being the Slayer, she doesn't have the opportunity to let   
many people get close to her. I think that her friends are the reason   
that she has outlived all the other Slayers before her. And if she   
loses Xander because of me, I'm afraid it might ruin her friendship   
with Willow as well."  
  
&&&&&&&  
Near Giles' Apartment  
5:15 pm  
  
"What the hell was what?" Doyle asked Charlotte, trying to suppress   
the urge to laugh.  
  
"You kissing that girl, that's what!" Charlotte said. "If you laugh,  
I'll hurt you so bad, Doyle..." she warned.  
  
"I'm trying not to, really, Charlie. I guess that had to be a shock   
to see."  
  
"Understatement, Doyle. I mean, I know how you feel about her, you   
never stop talking about her. I just didn't expect things to work out   
so well, or so fast. I'm happy for you, but shocked..."  
  
"Thanks, kid," Doyle replied, putting his arm around her shoulders. "I  
can't wait for you two to get to know each other," he said as they  
walked back to the motel where they were staying.  
  
"She loves you, I could see it in her eyes. So I like her already,  
Doyle. And if she's even half as great as you say, I'm sure we'll get  
along fine," Charlotte told him.  
  
"I hope so, because if you don't I don't know how we'll work out the  
future situation," Doyle replied with a grin.  
  
"I'm not even going to ask, because you do that cryptic thing on  
purpose. I'm not going to give you the satisfaction this time,"  
Charlotte said with a sigh of exasperation.  
  
"So what did you think of Buffy?" Doyle asked.  
  
"Okay, subject change so major it made me dizzy," Charlotte said,  
shaking her head. "She was....interesting," Charlotte shrugged. "She's  
already got my admiration for having lived to be nineteen. I'm looking  
forward to getting to know her. I think the real question is will   
Buffy be able to put aside what Faith did to her long enough to give   
me half a chance. If she can do that, I think in theory we can make   
this work."  
  
"What do ya mean, in theory," Doyle ased, a puzzled expression on his  
face.  
  
"Well, now that I've seen Buffy and her friends all in the same room  
together, I'm a little worried about the plan to take out Adam,"  
Charlotte said. "There's a lot of underlying tension between Buffy and  
her friends, and things are about to blow in a big way.   
  
"Angel as Angelus tortured one of Buffy's closest friends, not   
endearing that friend to Angelus or Angel. Mix that with the fact   
that Angel is now human, and he and Buffy obviously are back   
together. Like I said before, World War III was brewing back there   
when I ducked out; and I don't think it will end any time soon.  
  
"You're the one who constantly reminds me, Doyle, that a Slayer can't   
let things get in the way of her duties. To do that is a death-wish.   
Well, it seems like Buffy has a lot of distractions right now, and   
it's not just a death-wish for her, it is for me too. I have no doubt   
that she's powerful and that I can learn a lot from her as far as   
Slaying goes. I'm just not dying to go up against Adam, when Buffy's   
mind won't be on it 100%."  
  
"I understand that, Charlie. Trust me, I'm not going to send you into   
a no-win situation, and the Watchers Council can go to hell if they   
don't like it."   
  
Charlotte laughed at that, and hugged Doyle impulsively. "I do, you   
know," she said.  
  
"What's that, kid?"  
  
"Trust you, Doyle. You've been a great brother, and I'm glad you're  
looking out for me. And--Doyle!" she shoved him out of the way, as a  
demon covered with scales charged their way.  
  
&&&&  
End of 25 


	26. Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter 26  
  
&&&&&&&&&  
  
"Welcome wagon?" Charlotte guessed as she met the demon's punches and  
easily blocked them. "I really was wondering how long I'd go in this  
town without something deciding to take their shot at the new Slayer.  
What's the kill-suggestion, Watcher-Man?"  
  
"Uh, what've you got on you?" Doyle winced as Charlie punched the   
demon in the stomach and got backhanded for her effort. The force of   
it sent her sprawling on her back, but she was up and dodging blows   
again within seconds.  
  
"Stake," she gasped for breath, answering his question.  
  
"It'll at least hurt it," Doyle shrugged. "You need any--"  
  
"No, I'm good," Charlie answered, and delivered a kick to the demon's  
stomach that sent _him_ sprawling this time. She pulled the stake out   
of her jeans pocket and landed it in its heart, but it only roared in   
anger and shoved her back.   
  
"Okay, now I'm really getting irritated," Charlie said, as she got up   
from the ground and brushed herself off. "That was my favorite   
stake!" she added as the demon pulled it out of its chest and threw   
it thirty feet away. "Okay... big, scaly, rather slimy, definitely   
not a people-demon.......any of this ringing a bell with the  
recent demon research?"  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Doyle, I know that tone of voice, and yes, I'm probably going to kick  
your punch ass, but help me kill the nasty first."  
  
"It's a Kuntar demon, and they have two hearts. Kind of a backup   
system, I guess you would say," Doyle mumbled apologetically.  
  
"Left and right sides of the body?" She kicked the demons legs out   
from under it, and it went down again. It didn't get up, and she   
hoped it was dazed for the moment.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Now he tells me," she muttered. "So now all I need is a --"  
  
"Charlie!"  
  
Charlotte ducked to miss the grasp of the demon. It had recovered   
faster than she'd hoped and come up behind her as she looked for a   
weapon. "You're not amusing, you know," she said to the demon, while   
meeting and blocking its blows and getting some of her own in. "No   
witty comebacks, just roaring and punching. Not to mention that you   
cheated with having two hearts. How's a Slayer supposed to Slay?"  
  
"This might help," Angel said from her left. He tossed her a sword,   
and she promptly drove it into the demon's right side, where she   
hoped the heart would be. Apparently it was a good guess, because the   
demon screeched, and fell to the ground. She watched as it twitched a   
few times, then stopped moving.  
  
"Dead?" she asked Doyle.  
  
"I think so, though it looks like body burial is next," Doyle replied.  
  
"Or not," Charlotte said. They watched in shock as the body burst  
into flames. "Now that's something you don't see every day," she  
remarked. "And if you think you're off the hook brother dear, you are   
so wrong," Charlotte glared at him, her arms crossed in front of her.  
  
"What did I do?" Doyle gave his best innocent look.  
  
"The, 'by the way, the demon's got two hearts' is what! You've really  
got to do more demon research, Doyle! It's a good thing that Angel  
happened to walk by, because I was not prepared for an attack in broad  
daylight by a demon," Charlotte said.  
  
"Welcome to the Hellmouth," Angel grinned. "Life in Sunnydale doesn't  
follow the normal rules as far as demons go. I'm just glad that I was  
walking by and saw you, and that Spike happens to keep a fascinating  
array of weapons in the trunk of his car."  
  
"Well, thanks, you were more helpful than my _watcher_," Charlotte   
said.  
  
"Glad I could help. You're Faith's replacement, right?" Angel asked.  
  
"Yeah, Charlotte McNeill," Charlotte replied. "Guess my big brother  
filled you in. And you're Angel. So what now, Doyle?"  
  
"I thought you were going to kick my ass," Doyle teased with a   
chuckle.  
  
"Don't tempt me," Charlotte said, with a raised eyebrow. "I'm hungry,"  
she decided.  
  
"Well, then I guess that's the next thing on the agenda," Doyle   
replied. "Angel, you and Wesley want to join us?"  
  
"Sure," Angel shrugged, "Food sounds like an interesting idea   
right now," he added with a smile.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&  
Sunnydale Sewer Tunnels  
5:30 pm  
  
Spike was pacing up and down the room, and Drusilla was sitting in a  
corner nearby, humming and talking to unseen people. A male vampire  
entered from the sewers, and said, "I couldn't find it."  
  
"What the bloody hell do you mean, you can't find it?" Spike yelled.  
"How can you not find a car, you mindless moron!"  
  
"Um...are you sure you left it at the mansion?" the vampire mumbled,  
looking away apologetically.  
  
"No, I left it somewhere else and walked IN THE SUNLIGHT TO THE  
MANSION!!! I've staked vamps for stupider questions, you realize," he  
growled.  
  
"Sorry, I just...it's not there, Boss," the vampire shrugged.  
  
"What...." Spike's look of bewilderment changed to that of rage, and   
the vampire stepped back as far as he could without drawing Spike's  
attention. "ANGEL!" Spike roared. "BLOODY HELL! THE WANKER STOLE MY   
EFFIN CAR!" Spike charged up to the other vampire and slammed his   
fist into his face. The vampire stumbled back, wiping the blood from   
his nose.  
  
"Spike, what did you do that for," Drusilla asked, walking up to lay a  
hand on Spike's arm. "It's not his fault, besides, what do we need   
that silly car for anyway?"  
  
"Pet, if you and I are sailing to Paris, we need a ride to the coast,"  
Spike explained patiently.  
  
"Well, just find another car," Drusilla answered and walked back to   
her corner, already bored with the situation. Spike opened his mouth   
to argue, but then smiled. *She may be completely looney but she has   
her moments* he thought.   
  
"Another car," he said to himself. "Yeah, that's a good idea, Dru,"   
he looked over to her, but she was distracted watching a rat that was   
scurrying along the far side of the room. Sighing, he turned back to   
the vampire minion, "Well, go find a car. And don't come back unless   
you're in that car."  
  
The vampire nodded, and left. Spike walked to where Drusilla was  
standing. She was staring at the wall. Spike hoped she was seeing  
something more fascinating than what Spike saw, which was a dirty wall  
covered with mold and grime. "Dru baby," he said, putting his hand   
under her chin.   
  
When she looked at him and he reassured himself that she was back   
with him, he continued. "So Patrick is going to get the car, and  
then we'll head for the coast. We'll find a cruise ship going to   
Paris, and spend some time there. Hell, maybe the whole summer, maybe   
longer. How's that sound?" he kissed her on the tip of her nose, and   
she giggled childishly.  
  
"Perfect," she replied with a broad smile. "I'm so glad my Will is   
going to take me on a trip. We haven't been anywhere together since   
we left this silly town last time. We just have to hurry. The bad   
thing, he's getting ready to play. And if he finds you he'll hurt   
you."  
  
Spike relaxed when he heard her call him by his real name. She only   
did that when she was in a particularly clear frame of mind, and   
happy. He realized she was quickly forgetting her real reason for   
coming back: Angelus. "Don't worry, Luv," Spike said. "We'll be out   
of here within the hour I'm sure. As soon as Patrick comes back with   
our car."  
  
"What are we going to do while we're waiting?" Dru with an innocent   
look up at him. Contrary to her expression, though, she wrapped her   
arms around his neck and pressed her body up against his, making it   
clear she had definite ideas of to pass the time.  
  
"Uh..." Spike tried to form a coherent sentence, but realized it   
wasn't going to come. Instead he grabbed her face in his hands and   
kissed her, thinking she had a very good idea on how to pass the time   
until that car showed up.  
&&&&&&  
End of 26 


	27. Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter 27  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&  
Giles' Apartment  
5:30 pm  
  
Cordelia knocked on the door, and Anya opened it. "Oh, you again,"   
Anya muttered but let her in. Cordelia saw Xander standing nearby, to   
her right, next to Anya. He was glaring at Buffy, who was standing in   
the entrance to the living room from the kitchen. Buffy was staring   
at the floor, a guilty expression on her face. Giles was standing   
next to her, obviously at a loss for words. Oz and Willow were   
standing to Cordelia's left, Oz with an arm around Willow's waist.   
Willow was looking at Xander sadly.  
  
"Hi, Cordy," Xander said quietly.  
  
"Xander, if you don't want me here just say so," Cordelia replied.  
  
"No, you can stay," Xander answered. "Buffy was just about to explain  
how it is that Angel is among the living, and not just in the undead  
sense."  
  
Cordelia sighed and said, "My fault, Xander. I took Buffy to find the  
cure, and it ended up curing him much better than we'd hoped."  
  
"Did you know it would?"  
  
"It did in the past," Cordelia replied. "All I hoped for this time was  
that it would bring his soul back, though. "  
  
Xander nodded, silent for what seemed like forever. "If you had known  
what he did to me before you got to the mansion, would you still have  
thought he deserved to be saved?" Xander asked Cordelia.  
  
"That's a tough one, Xander. I told you before, that Angel's my   
friend. He has saved my life more times than I can count. But I also   
wouldn't have hesitated to destroy him if it was necessary. That's   
why I didn't stop you when you tried to stake him," Cordelia said.  
  
"At least you've been honest with me, which is more than I can say for  
_some_ people," Xander replied, looking pointedly at Buffy. "Why   
didn't you tell me he was back yesterday? Because you knew I wouldn't   
go in for the 'let's save his soul' plan? So instead you put my life   
and Anya's in danger, by keeping vital information from me?"  
  
"That's not fair, Xander. You know I didn't want to see you hurt. If I  
thought you were in danger, I would have told you. And I did intend to  
tell you, but I got distracted by the fact that I couldn't find   
Riley. I honestly thought that he was in more danger from Angelus   
than anyone else. And then I...forgot to tell you," Buffy shrugged.   
She knew her reason was awful, but it was the truth.  
  
"Somehow, 'I forgot', doesn't reassure me about the state of our  
friendship," Xander said bitterly.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Xander. If I could change it...."  
  
"You'd change _some_ of it, right? But not the parts where you get   
your precious Angel back," Xander said. Buffy didn't reply to that,   
and he continued, "That's what I thought. As I said to Wills earlier,   
I'm tired of playing along with your obsession with Angel, Buffy. He   
goes evil, you move heaven and earth to save him, and consequences to   
the rest of the world be damned. I hit my limit last night, when I   
saw just what evil is. He didn't, _doesn't_ deserve to live, much   
less be human. I don't know if I'll ever be able to accept the choice   
that you and Willow made in saving him. I understand why you did it,   
But it doesn't make me feel any less betrayed.  
  
"I said it before, and I mean it: I need time and space to deal with  
things. I don't know how much time, but I think I know how much space.  
So I'm leaving town."  
  
  
"What?" Willow said. "Xander, you can't just give up like this. It's   
not like you!"  
  
"Willow, this is what I have to do to keep _from_ giving up," Xander  
replied. "And this isn't open for discussion. I've made my decision  
already, I'm just here to let you know about it."  
  
"Xander, don't shut us out. You need friends right now," Willow   
pleaded.  
  
"Friends," Xander repeated with a laugh. "Willow, the three of us   
haven't been real friends for a while now. You and Buffy have your   
college lives, and I don't fit into those lives anymore. I'm not   
feeling the love and haven't for a long time. I'm not important to   
you two."  
  
"That's not true, Xander," Buffy insisted. "You are important to us. I  
know we've drifted, but this hasn't been an easy year for Willow or   
me. But you've been there for us through all of our stuff. Let us be   
there for you now and help you with your stuff."  
  
"Buffy, are you back together with Angel?" Xander asked.  
  
"Yes," she answered.  
  
"If he wasn't around, maybe I would stay," Xander said. "Maybe the   
three of us could manage to salvage our friendships. But he is going   
to be around, and with you. I don't want to be anywhere near him,   
Buffy. If I saw him, I'd probably have the overwhelming urge to kill   
him. That wouldn't go over too well, since he's human now. So, not   
much wanting to face a murder rap, I have to stay away from where he   
is. Since you two are together, that means hanging out with Buffy is   
off the agenda. It's not enough just to avoid you two, I don't want   
to play 'dodge Buffy and Angel', not in this small town. So I'm   
getting out of here for a while. It's better this way."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous, Xander," Willow replied. "It's not better for   
you if you're alone."  
  
"He isn't alone," Anya said. "I'm going with him."  
  
"Where _are_ you going, if you don't mind my asking, Xander?" Giles  
asked.  
  
"I'm not sure, really," Xander shrugged. "We're just going to head   
east and keep moving until we find a place without too many demons."  
  
"So that's it? So long, have a nice life?" Willow asked.  
  
"There's nothing more to say. And I won't bother to promise that I'm  
coming back because I don't know for sure that I am," he said. He   
looked over to Cordelia and said, "No protests from your corner?"  
  
"I know you're doing what you think is best," Cordelia replied. "I   
also know that some time away from Sunnydale will be good for you.   
Just be careful, and take care of yourself, okay?" Looking at   
Anya, "Take care of him." She turned to the door and opened it. She   
turned back to Xander saying, "You've got my number. But I'll see you   
when you get back."  
  
When Cordelia was gone, Buffy said, "Am I the only one who feels like  
she's stuck in an episode of the Twilight Zone? Since when are you and  
Cordelia best friends, Xander?"  
  
"She's grown up a lot since she left Sunnydale, Buffy," Xander said.   
"She's not the same self-absorbed person she used to be. She's learned  
how to be concerned about more than what's going on in her own life.   
She actually had the decency to apologize for the way she treated me   
after the breakup. Can you believe that? After what _I_ did to her,   
she still apologized. Anyway, it doesn't matter. I don't have to   
explain what I think or feel to you. Not anymore." He turned and   
opened the door. He didn't look back as he walked outside with Anya   
and closed it behind him.  
  
  
&&&&&&&  
Motel 6  
6:00 pm  
  
"He's gonna want that back, isn't he?" Doyle asked, as they passed  
Spike's car on their way to get Wesley.  
  
"Oh, I'm counting on it," Angel answered. "And when he comes looking   
for it, I'm going to end what I started a century ago when I turned   
him."  
  
"You really think you can do that?" Doyle questioned.  
  
"Let's see, he sent that Witch after me to turn me back to Angelus, he  
bit Buffy and nearly drained her dry, before that, he's done nothing   
but make Buffy's, my, everyone's lives miserable....I don't care if   
he is, or was, my childe. He's dangerous and if anyone should end   
this it's me," Angel replied. He arrived at the hotel room and   
knocked, opening it when he heard Wesley's invitation.  
  
"Wes, we're going to dinner. Join us?" Angel asked.  
  
"I'd love to, but if we can wait about ten minutes, I just got a call  
from Cordelia saying she's on her way back. She sounded like she   
needed cheering up, I gathered that the situation at Giles' house   
wasn't a good one," Wesley said, trying to be as non-guilt inducing   
as possible with Angel. He knew that Angle blamed himself for the   
conflicts between Buffy and her friends, and was already beating   
himself up for it worse than anyone else could have.  
  
"Fine," Angel said, pulling over a chair and retreating to his own  
thoughts. Wesley sighed, wishing he had some magic answer for all of  
Angel's problems.   
  
Doyle and Charlotte entered and made themselves comfortable, and   
Doyle, characteristically, decided Angel moping was a bad   
thing. "Snap out of it, Man! You can't change the past, so just let   
it go," Doyle said.  
  
"Uh-huh," Angel said skeptically. "You don't have a clue, Doyle, what  
it's like to live with the memories of murdering and torturing   
thousands in the last almost three hundred years. So keep your 'get   
over its' to yourself," he finished angrily, jumping up from his   
chair.  
  
"Now that's more like it," Doyle replied, walking up to him and  
challenging, "Get mad, yell, punch me, I don't care! Show _some_ sign  
of life, but don't retreat, Angel! Not this time, not when you have   
too much to be live for now.   
  
"You caught a raw deal, okay? I realize that, we ALL realize that!   
Two hundred and forty years ago, some bitch vampire decided she   
wanted a boy-toy and vamped you. You had no control over that, your   
life ended before you had a chance to do anything with it. The demon   
took over then, though, Angel!  
  
"You're right, I have no idea what it's like to know what Angelus did   
using your body. But it wasn't you, Man. Angel, you have risked your   
life for over a hundred years to help people in trouble. You're the   
guy who taught me about sacrifice, and inspired me to the one   
selfless act of my life. You're the one who never let me give up on   
the dream of loving Cordelia and her loving me back. And you were   
right, it looks like Cordelia and I might make a future together.   
  
"So if you think I'm going to sit back and watch you give up now out   
of some misguided sense of guilt, when you've got the chance of   
everything _you've_ ever dreamed of, you've got ANOTHER thing  
coming!"  
  
Doyle stopped for breath as Angel just looked at him in shock.   
  
"Bravo," Cordelia said from the doorway. "I couldn't have said it  
better," she added. She walked up next to Doyle and put her arm around  
him, leaning her head on his chest.  
  
"Bad?" Angel asked softly, noting the sadness in her eyes.  
  
"Oh, no you don't," Cordelia answered. "I see the guilt-trip fun   
you've got going, and we're not going to discuss the saga of the   
Scooby Gang right now. Everyone's still standing, metaphorically   
speaking of course, and that's all you need to know right now.   
  
I'm starving, though, so what's the dinner plan? As long as you   
promise me to control yourself with the rediscovering-food thing, you   
can come," she said to Angel.  
  
He looked at her shocked, "How could you possibly remember that?" he  
said.  
  
"I guess it's something about these visions. A few days after you told  
me and Doyle about the reversing the day, I had a flash, not as  
painful though. I distinctly saw you run for the refrigerator in the   
office and start eating everything in it. Something about chocolate   
ice cream, too?" Cordelia shook her head. "That's all I got."  
  
Angel was incredibly relieved that was ALL Cordelia had seen in her   
vision. And nothing of he and Buffy in his apartment.   
  
"Anyway, enough gab. Let's eat," Cordelia said.  
  
  
&&&&&&&&&&  
Giles' House  
6:30 pm  
  
When Xander closed the door behind him, Willow felt like all the air  
rushed out of the room. She fought to stay calm, not to have the  
crying fit she so wanted to give into right now. She looked over at   
Oz, and saw that he was watching her with a worried expression on his   
face. *Not helpful.*   
  
She looked over to Buffy, and saw that expression mirrored there as   
well. *Okay, that's not good either*. When she saw it again on Giles'   
face, she realized she was incredibly claustrophobic suddenly. She   
closed her eyes, willing herself to continue to take slow deep   
breaths, and then asked herself to wake up, just in case it was a   
nightmare. When she dared to open her eyes, she realized with a sigh   
that it _was_ a nightmare, but of the not-wake-up-from variety.  
  
"Willow?" she heard Buffy say.  
  
"Don't," she whispered, not looking at her. "There's nothing you can   
say that would possibly make me feel better right now. What I need   
from you, from all of you, is if we just move on. Life goes on, and   
we've got important stuff to do." She looked at Buffy then.   
  
Buffy nodded, saying, "Fair enough, Willow. What would you say is   
first on the important stuff list?"  
  
"Well, I think..." Willow moved toward the couch, but her world went  
black. She vaguely realized that Oz had caught her, but the next  
coherent thing she was aware of was lying on the couch, and Oz, Buffy  
and Giles were hovering. "I'm okay," she muttered, sitting up. "I just  
got dizzy, that's all."  
  
"Willow, when is the last time you ate anything?" Giles asked,  
worriedly.  
  
"Ate?" Willow said, a puzzled expression on her face.  
  
"That wasn't supposed to be a difficult question, Willow," Giles   
sighed. "I think that explains the fainting spell, though."  
  
"Why don't we all go get something?" Buffy suggested. "It would be   
good to get out together, and try to do a normal thing for once. You   
too."  
  
"I think it's a good idea," Willow said.  
  
"I'll drive, I've got the van," Oz said as he helped her up.  
  
"I really don't think I--" Giles was trying to think of a nice way to  
refuse. He didn't think they would really want him around.  
  
"Giles!" Willow and Buffy yelled in unison. Buffy giggled, and said,  
"You're coming with us, no argument. You need to unwind just like the  
rest of us."  
  
"I ... I suppose I could use some dinner," Giles conceded.  
  
"Okay, then. Let's go! The more I think about it the hungrier I am,"  
Buffy said as she herded her friends out the door.  
  
  
  
&&&&&&&&&&  
The Bronze  
7 pm  
  
"Why are we here again?" Wesley yelled to compete with the band on   
stage.  
  
"Hey, as I recall, you had no suggestions to offer so don't complain!"  
Cordelia replied. "There's a table!" she yelled and left the others in  
the dust as she dove for a free table. When the rest of the group had  
caught up, Cordelia was already abusing a waitress, explaining to her  
that they weren't going to tolerate an hour wait, because she hadn't   
eaten all day. When the put-upon girl was finally allowed to leave,   
Cordelia noticed Angel's look. "What?" she said innocently. "Don't   
look at me like that, you'll be thanking me when we get decent  
service."  
  
"Some things never change, huh?" Doyle asked Angel with a grin.  
  
"And what is _that_ supposed to mean?" Cordelia asked with a raised  
eyebrow.  
  
"Just that you're perfect and that hasn't changed," Doyle replied,  
putting his arm around her waist.  
  
Charlotte groaned and put her head on her arms on the table in a   
gesture of resignation. She looked up though, "I haven't eaten yet,   
Doyle, would you mind not making me lose my appetite?"  
  
"Oh you've so gotta be kidding me." Angel looked up at Buffy's voice.   
Buffy, Willow, Oz and Giles were standing there. "Of all the places   
that all of us could have gone for dinner, how unlikely is it that we   
would have chosen the same one?" she asked.  
  
"Not that unlikely," Cordelia said. "Old habits die hard, I guess. We  
did spend most of our lives here, you know."  
  
"What do you mean 'did'?" Buffy said. "Unfortunately, Willow and I   
and.... well, we always come here." Giles, Willow and Oz went in   
search of more stools to pull up to the already crowded table.  
Angel gave up his stool, and Buffy took it. He moved to stand behind   
her and put his arms around her.   
  
"Miss me?" Buffy smiled at him.  
  
"Definitely," Angel replied and kissed her.  
  
"You know how you were saying some things never change?" Cordelia   
turned to Doyle. "Well, welcome to the Angel and Buffy show. It's   
something I've seen many times in the past. Everything other than   
them has now ceased to exist. When they do come up for air, you might   
be able to get a coherent sentence out of one of them, but don't   
count on it."  
  
"I heard that," Buffy said as they broke the kiss, but she continued   
to gaze at Angel.  
  
"I wasn't whispering or anything," Cordelia shrugged. "Besides, I was  
just stating the reality that is you two."  
  
"Can we not argue?" Willow asked wearily. "And if we're on the train   
of how some things never change, why don't we add to that the fact   
that you" looking at Cordelia, "and Buffy have been at each other's   
throats since the first day you met and you haven't stopped yet."  
  
"Sorry," both girls mumbled.  
  
The silence was broken by the return of the waitress, and when the  
orders had been placed the mood was considerably lighter. "So,  
Charlotte, how do you like our boring Sunnydale so far?" Buffy asked.  
  
Charlotte and Angel exchanged a smile, and Charlotte said, "Oh, I   
think I'll find things here to amuse me."  
  
"I'm sure we could exchange stories of all the icky things we've come  
into contact with," Buffy said. "I bet you have some interesting   
stories too, Cordelia."  
  
"Let's see," Cordelia said. "There's the guy who was able to detach   
his body parts. He was fun to dispose of. Of course there was also the  
"Talking Stick."  
  
"Not the talking stick, Cordelia, please," Angel groaned.  
  
"Oh, I think that's just too good to keep to ourselves, Cordelia,"   
Doyle said with a chuckle.  
  
To Angel's mortification, Cordelia and Doyle proceeded to give a very  
good accounting of Angel's encounter with the stick, including his  
insistence on a group hug. When everyone had stopped laughing, Willow  
said, "I think that's almost as funny as the Halloween demon thing.   
You remember that one, Buffy?"  
  
"Oh, God, yes. He's still stuck to one of my favorite pairs of shoes!"  
Buffy muttered.  
  
As the group exchanged the more amusing demon stories, Giles  
smiled. He was relieved that Buffy and her friends had survived the  
latest serious conflict intact. *Well, somewhat intact,* he amended  
that. *But I think Xander will be back, and in the mean time, Buffy's  
remaining friends have stuck by her. We just may be able to defeat   
Adam after all.*  
  
  
&&&&&&&&&  
Xander's House  
7 pm  
  
  
"Are you sure about this, Xander?" Anya asked. She was watching him   
pack a duffel bag, her house was the next stop before they left that   
night.  
  
"Very, Anya," Xander replied. "I actually can't wait to put some  
distance between me and Sunnydale. It's exactly what I need. But I  
really don't want you to feel obligated--"  
  
"Xander, you've given me every opportunity to _not_ go with you, and I  
appreciate it. But I go where you go, okay?"  
  
"Okay," Xander said. "Thanks, Anya."  
  
"For what? Being a good girlfriend and wanting to take care of you?  
That's not something you need to thank me for, Xander. Besides, I'm  
thinking this trip will be the chance for a new adventure. This town   
was getting old," she said.  
  
"Just as long as you don't pack so much stuff we won't be able to fit   
in the car," Xander joked. "It is a compact, Anya, and that means   
light on the packing. Okay?"  
  
"I know that," Anya said with a shake of her head. Mentally, though,   
she was frantically going through her list of things to take. *Damn,   
now he tells me* she thought, trying to decide what she could live   
without.  
  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Highway 5  
7 pm  
  
Spike and Dru were in a black Mustang which had been modified for  
vampire use. Patrick had covered all the windows, to protect Spike and  
Drusilla until the sun went down. Now the two vampire lovers were  
driving to the California coast.   
  
Spike was in a better than normal mood. Despite the loss of his car,   
this new one was quite a catch. He would never admit it out loud, but   
he was happy for the first time since Drusilla had left him over a   
year ago. Dru was actually tolerating his Nine Inch Nails CD which   
was at maximum volume as he drove, which proved she was rather happy   
too. Spike pulled her close, putting his right arm around her. She   
purred contentedly and relaxed against him.  
  
"Say goodbye to Sunnyhell, Pet. Spike and his Princess are going  
somewhere without slayers or bad things. Just plenty of stupid humans,  
ripe for the picking."  
  
"I can still remember Paris in the summertime, Will, even though it's  
been ages since we were there last. Do you think it will be the way it  
was?" Drusilla asked, looking up at him.  
  
He glanced over at her and kissed her quickly, and replied, "Paris is  
one of those cities that always stays the same, Dru."  
  
"Just like us!" Drusilla said with a smile  
  
"Yes, Pet, just like us," Spike chuckled.  
  
  
&&&&&&&&&&  
The END of The End 


End file.
